AusLeisure

Queensland Police have recommended no criminal charges be laid over the October 2016 Dreamworld ride disaster, although park employees and the Gold Coast theme park’s owners still face potential prosecution.

In a report to the Queensland Coroner, the Police say no Dreamworld staff should be prosecuted for the incident in which a ride malfunctioned nearly a year ago, killing four people.

However, speaking to media a Queensland Police spokesman said it would be up to the coroner whether any staff were eventually charged, advising “Police have recommended no criminal charges be laid, but obviously that’s only a recommendation, the coroner may come back with suggestions relating to prosecution."

The theme park’s owner, Ardent Leisure, could still face potential prosecution by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, with penalties including six years jail and fines of almost $4 million.

As part of its two-volume submission to the Coroner, Queensland Police are understood to have also recommended a coronial inquest be held into the tragedy.

Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett and Roozi Araghi were killed on 25th October 2016 when the Thunder River Rapids ride malfunctioned.

The popular ride was nearly 30 years old with it being reported that a young female employee was was on her first day of operating the ride when it malfunctioned.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland handed its report into the incident to the Queensland Government last month, and government lawyers are now assessing it to see if any charges should be laid.

The Queensland Parliament passed new industrial manslaughter laws this month, with maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment for an individual or a maximum fine of $10m for a corporate offender.

However, the laws are not retrospective, and so would not apply to the Dreamworld case.

The Queensland Coroner James McDougall told the media last year that he hoped an inquest would be held this year. However it now appears unlikely that any inquest will be held till 2018.

According to reports, Queensland Police considered that the incident could have been a terrorist attack in its immediate response. 

16th October 2017 - QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT PASSES INDUSTRIAL MANSLAUGHTER LAWS IN WAKE OF DREAMWORLD FATALITIES 

30th September 2017 - QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING LEGAL ACTION OVER DREAMWORLD DEATHS

29th September 2017 - GARY WEISS TAKES ON CHAIRMAN’S ROLE AT ARDENT LEISURE

14th September 2017 - DREAMWORLD TO REMOVE MOUNTAIN SURROUNDING ITS EUREKA MOUNTAIN MINE RIDE

4th September 2017 - ARDENT LEISURE INVITES REBEL SHAREHOLDERS TO JOIN BOARD

27th August 2017 - DREAMWORLD TRAGEDY HIGHLIGHTS LEGAL DUTY OF CARE FOR THEME PARK GUESTS

23rd August 2017 - QUEENSLAND TO IMPLEMENT NEW SAFETY LAWS FOLLOWING DREAMWORLD TRAGEDY REPORT

25th October 2016 - ARDENT LEISURE SHARES FALL AFTER DREAMWORLD TRAGEDY  

30th June 2010 - EXTENSIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ROCK POOL WATER PARK DROWNING INQUEST

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