Dreamworld owner to be charged over 2016 deaths

The victims of the 2016 Dreamworld tragedy. Photo / Supplied

The owner of Dreamworld will reportedly be charged today over the deaths of four people on the Thunder River Rapids Ride in 2016.

Charges are expected to be laid today against Ardent Leisure, five months after the coroner handed down his findings into the tragedy that took the lives of New Zealander Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi.

All four suffered fatal injuries at the Gold Coast theme park when they were thrown from their raft in the unloading area and either trapped or ejected into the water beneath a mechanised conveyor in October 2016.

New Zealander Cindy Low. Photo / Supplied

Coroner James McDougall delivered a scathing assessment of the "total" and "systemic" safety failures at the park, referring Ardent Leisure to the Office of Industrial Relations to consider proceeding with charges.

The company could face fines of up to AUD$3 million.

"It is reasonably suspected that Ardent Leisure may have committed an offence under workplace law," McDougall told the Brisbane Magistrates Court in February as he handed down nearly his nearly 300-page report.

The six-week inquest wrapped up in December 2018.

The victims of the 2016 Dreamworld tragedy. Photo / Supplied

In response to the findings, Ardent Leisure committed to implementing the coroner's recommendations and improving its safety practices, and said Dreamworld would construct a memorial garden to honour and pay respect to the victims.

Last month the company was served with a shareholder class action over the tragedy, alleging contraventions of the corporations act.

Ardent Leisure said it strongly denied any contraventions and described the action as "without merit", saying it intended to "vigorously defend the proceedings".