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| Dreamworld tragedy: safety blitz announced for Queensland theme parks | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Workplace inspectors will carry out a month-long safety blitz of amusement rides at Queensland theme parks after four people died at Dreamworld. | Workplace inspectors will carry out a month-long safety blitz of amusement rides at Queensland theme parks after four people died at Dreamworld. |
| The Queensland industrial relations minister, Grace Grace, said safety auditors would start at Dreamworld on Saturday and inspect Wet’n’Wild, Sea World, Aussie World, Australia Zoo and Movie World before the end of November. | The Queensland industrial relations minister, Grace Grace, said safety auditors would start at Dreamworld on Saturday and inspect Wet’n’Wild, Sea World, Aussie World, Australia Zoo and Movie World before the end of November. |
| “This is about protecting visitors to our theme parks and restoring public confidence in Queensland’s prime tourism assets ahead of the busy Christmas holiday season,” Grace said in a statement on Saturday. | “This is about protecting visitors to our theme parks and restoring public confidence in Queensland’s prime tourism assets ahead of the busy Christmas holiday season,” Grace said in a statement on Saturday. |
| Meanwhile, the heartbroken father of two of the victims in the tragedy has spoken of the families’ need to understand how their loved ones died. | Meanwhile, the heartbroken father of two of the victims in the tragedy has spoken of the families’ need to understand how their loved ones died. |
| Shayne Goodchild thanked Australians for their overwhelming outpouring of support after the horrific accident that killed four people at the Gold Coast theme park on Tuesday. | Shayne Goodchild thanked Australians for their overwhelming outpouring of support after the horrific accident that killed four people at the Gold Coast theme park on Tuesday. |
| But Goodchild – whose daughter Kate Goodchild, 32, and son Luke Dorsett, 35, died in Tuesday’s fatal accident – said understanding how a family holiday had turned so tragic was something the families needed to know. | But Goodchild – whose daughter Kate Goodchild, 32, and son Luke Dorsett, 35, died in Tuesday’s fatal accident – said understanding how a family holiday had turned so tragic was something the families needed to know. |
| “Like everyone else in Australia we want to know what went wrong,” he said. | “Like everyone else in Australia we want to know what went wrong,” he said. |
| “To say this is just not fair doesn’t begin to express our despair. | “To say this is just not fair doesn’t begin to express our despair. |
| “We want to know why our loved ones were taken away from us in such horrific circumstances.” | “We want to know why our loved ones were taken away from us in such horrific circumstances.” |
| Dorsett’s partner Roozi Araghi, 38, and Sydney woman Cindy Low, 42, were also killed in the accident. | Dorsett’s partner Roozi Araghi, 38, and Sydney woman Cindy Low, 42, were also killed in the accident. |
| Goodchild’s 12-year-old daughter Ebony and Low’s 10-year-old son were on the raft that flipped at the end of the Thunder River Rapids ride, but survived. | Goodchild’s 12-year-old daughter Ebony and Low’s 10-year-old son were on the raft that flipped at the end of the Thunder River Rapids ride, but survived. |
| Flanked by his daughter’s partner Dave Turner, who witnessed the tragedy, Goodchild said his granddaughter would need all the support and strength the family could muster. | Flanked by his daughter’s partner Dave Turner, who witnessed the tragedy, Goodchild said his granddaughter would need all the support and strength the family could muster. |
| He declined to comment on the response of Dreamworld or its parent company Ardent Leisure, insisting the families would wait for the outcome of a coronial investigation into the accident. | He declined to comment on the response of Dreamworld or its parent company Ardent Leisure, insisting the families would wait for the outcome of a coronial investigation into the accident. |
| After being criticised for a cancelled plan to open the park for a public memorial on Friday ahead of resuming operations on Saturday, Dreamworld announced the facility would remain closed at least until funerals for all four victims were held. | After being criticised for a cancelled plan to open the park for a public memorial on Friday ahead of resuming operations on Saturday, Dreamworld announced the facility would remain closed at least until funerals for all four victims were held. |
| The Dreamworld chief executive, Craig Davidson, said that even when the park reopened, all attractions at the facility would undergo “internal and external safety audits” that would be peer reviewed. | The Dreamworld chief executive, Craig Davidson, said that even when the park reopened, all attractions at the facility would undergo “internal and external safety audits” that would be peer reviewed. |
| Davidson attended a private memorial for the victims at the park alongside the parent company boss Deborah Thomas and about 450 staff. | Davidson attended a private memorial for the victims at the park alongside the parent company boss Deborah Thomas and about 450 staff. |
| Thomas, who came under scrutiny for accepting an $843,000 bonus at Ardent Leisure’s annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday, laid a floral tribute to the victims at an ever-growing shrine outside the park’s main entrance. | Thomas, who came under scrutiny for accepting an $843,000 bonus at Ardent Leisure’s annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday, laid a floral tribute to the victims at an ever-growing shrine outside the park’s main entrance. |
| She apologised for any pain her, or the company’s, actions may have caused the families following the tragedy. | She apologised for any pain her, or the company’s, actions may have caused the families following the tragedy. |
| “I would like to say that if I haven’t handled it as well as I could – we thought we were doing the right things in terms of the way we approached it through the police – but if the families are watching, I have spoken to a number of them and we will look after them,” she said. | “I would like to say that if I haven’t handled it as well as I could – we thought we were doing the right things in terms of the way we approached it through the police – but if the families are watching, I have spoken to a number of them and we will look after them,” she said. |
| “I hope that this is the beginning of the healing process.” | “I hope that this is the beginning of the healing process.” |
| The Queensland police commissioner, Ian Stewart, said the investigation at the accident site was proving complex. | The Queensland police commissioner, Ian Stewart, said the investigation at the accident site was proving complex. |
| “There are a range of specialists investigators, not necessarily from Queensland police services, but from other agencies that need to be engaged and they have been,” Stewart said. | “There are a range of specialists investigators, not necessarily from Queensland police services, but from other agencies that need to be engaged and they have been,” Stewart said. |
| Dreamworld has also defended its safety record against criticism from the Australian Workers Union, which says it has been warning about problems at the park for years. | Dreamworld has also defended its safety record against criticism from the Australian Workers Union, which says it has been warning about problems at the park for years. |
| The theme park’s management says the ride was inspected as recently as last month. | The theme park’s management says the ride was inspected as recently as last month. |
| Grace said the AWU’s response was right. | Grace said the AWU’s response was right. |
| “They did the right thing. They put in what their concerns were, whether anyone could have predicted this particular event happening is very difficult and, of course, those concerns should be raised,” she said. | “They did the right thing. They put in what their concerns were, whether anyone could have predicted this particular event happening is very difficult and, of course, those concerns should be raised,” she said. |
| Meanwhile, a fund set up to assist the partner and two children of Kate Goodchild has topped $46,000. | Meanwhile, a fund set up to assist the partner and two children of Kate Goodchild has topped $46,000. |
| Long-time family friend Sandra Brookfield started an online funding page for the Goodchilds with the approval of Dorset. | Long-time family friend Sandra Brookfield started an online funding page for the Goodchilds with the approval of Dorset. |
| The funds will be immediately accessible to the family who have so far only been offered counselling and funds for funerals from Dreamworld, according to Brookfield. | The funds will be immediately accessible to the family who have so far only been offered counselling and funds for funerals from Dreamworld, according to Brookfield. |
| “Luke and Kate are going home tomorrow back to Canberra and we are looking at a date later next week for Luke and Kate’s funeral,” she said. | “Luke and Kate are going home tomorrow back to Canberra and we are looking at a date later next week for Luke and Kate’s funeral,” she said. |