Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

SafeWork SA investigation into Royal Adelaide Show ride death scrutinised by ICAC

SafeWork SA investigation into Royal Adelaide Show ride death scrutinised by ICAC
May 4, 2018

South Australia's Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) has launched an inquiry into SafeWork SA, after it dropped charges over a fatal show ride accident that claimed the life of a young girl.

Adelene Leong, aged 8, was on holidays from Malaysia when she was thrown from the Airmaxx 360 ride at the Royal Adelaide Show in September 2014. She later died in hospital.

The safety company that inspected the ride, Safe is Safe Pty Ltd, and its boss Hamish Munro were being prosecuted by SafeWork SA over the incident.

They were expected to stand trial in the SA Employment Tribunal this month accused of breaching workplace safety laws by failing to properly inspect the ride.

It was alleged the company also failed to properly inspect the ride's restraint harnesses before certifying it was safe for use.

However, SafeWork SA has now dropped the case, announcing it had withdrawn the charges in a statement that advised “this decision was made after new information came to light, which meant there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction.

"SafeWork SA has also referred this new information to the Office for Public Integrity."

The ABC has reported that South Australia's Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Bruce Lander, said the matter had been referred to him for consideration.

Lander advised "I have since commenced an investigation into the SafeWork SA investigation and the evidence that was obtained.”

In a statement, Lander said ordinarily he would not confirm or deny whether a complaint or report had been made to the Office of Public Integrity.

However, he advised “having regard to the public interest in the prosecution arising out of the SafeWork SA investigation, and the fact that the prosecution was withdrawn this morning, I felt that it was in the public interest to confirm that an investigation into the matter is underway.”

The owner of the ride, CJ And Sons Amusement, and its Director Jenny-Lee Sullivan were last year fined $157,500 after pleading guilty to workplace safety breaches.

The Airmaxx was the first ride of its kind imported into Australia, and the company failed to register its design, as required by law.

Employment Tribunal Magistrate Michael Ardlie advised “if the design registration process had proceeded, the level of scrutiny involved might have detected some of the design flaws which were inherent in Airmaxx.”

The ride had reportedly already caused chest and neck injuries as well as a concussion during shows in Melbourne and Sydney, but the incidents went unrecorded.

Ardlie advised “there was a failure to ensure that there was an adequate system in place for the recording of any maintenance and repair work in the logbook.”

However, CJ And Sons Amusement, which had debts of more than $1 million, could not afford to pay the fine, and Ardlie declined to make an order which would force them.

Image: Adelene Leong died after being flung from a ride at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2014. (Courtesy of SA Police) 

29th March 2018 - STANDARDS, SAFETY AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT THE FOCUS AT AALARA 2018 CONFERENCE

21st October 2017 - QUEENSLAND POLICE SAY NO STAFF SHOULD BE PROSECUTED OVER 2016 DREAMWORLD DEATHS 

13th July 2017 - ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW RIDE OWNERS FINED $157,000 OVER CHILD’S DEATH, BUT UNLIKELY TO PAY UP

30th May 2017 - RIDE OWNERS PLEAD GUILTY TO SAFETY BREACHES IN ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW DEATH TRIAL 

13th May 2017 - ADELAIDE SHOW DEATH CHARGES TO PROCEED AGAINST SAFETY INSPECTION COMPANY  

14th December 2016 - NON-COMPLIANCE IN ATTRACTIONS AND ENTERTAINMENT HAS ITS COSTS

10th November 2016 - AMUSEMENT OPERATOR TO PAY $80,000 AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO HEALTH AND SAFETY CHARGE

23rd September 2016 - SAFETY INSPECTOR’S LEGAL TEAM ARGUES LIMITED RESPONSIBILITIES IN ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW DEATH CASE

5th July 2016 - OWNERS OF RIDE IN ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW FATALITY ‘EXPOSED’ RIDERS TO SERIOUS HARM

15th June 2016 - RIDE OWNERS CHARGED OVER ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW FATALITY 


Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe. 


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

SeatGeek Asia Pacific

SeatGeek is a search engine and mobile-focused ticket marketplace that allows fans to buy and sell tickets for live events. As of August 2018, SeatGeek has exited the Australian, New…

read more

Entertainment / Sport / Technology / Ticketing / Venues

 
 

Ticketworx Pty Ltd

Ticketworx (formerly House of Tickets) is Australia and New Zealand’s foremost ticket specialist servicing some 2,700 clients and producing in excess of 30 million per tickets per annum.…

read more

Entertainment / Events / Technology / Ticketing / Venues

 
 

AIS Water

AIS Water, the trading name of Australian Innovative Systems, is a multi-award winning, Australian owned leader in the design, production and supply of commercial and residential chlorine generators…

read more

Aquatics / Safety / Technology

 
 

IEDM

iEDM integrate Design, Engineering and Delivery Management services to convert existing spaces into exciting new entertainment venues. Our team consists of highly qualified professionals with diverse…

read more

Consultants / Design

 
 

Worldwide Sports Management

Principal Consultant Simon Weatherill has spent the last 20 years developing the world renowned Melbourne Sports Hub, as former Chief Executive Officer of the State Sports Centres Trust…

read more

Aquatics / Consultants / Recreation / Sport / Venues

 
 

Exerp

Exerp is a global IT specialist in member management software for the fitness and leisure industry. By focusing on the needs of large enterprises, where streamlining, control and scalability are…

read more

Fitness / Technology / Wellness

 
 

Myzone

Email for trade enquiries: Enquiriesapac@myzone.org  Customer support desk - Click Myzone support or go to ‘help’ on myzone app to access live support. Myzone® is the leading…

read more

Fitness / Sport / Technology / Wellness

 
 

ProSlide Technology

ProSlide is the global leader in water ride design and manufacturing, supplying high-performance water attractions to new and expanding water parks around the world. For over three decades, ProSlide…

read more

Aquatics / Play / Waterparks

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business