On 1 March 2012, the Legislative Assembly referred to the following terms of reference to the Economics and Industry Standing Committee:
That the Economics and Industry Standing Committee investigate and report by 21 June on the 2011 Kimberley Ultramarathon event held by RacingThePlanet (RTP) which resulted injuries to a number of participants. The investigation will include:
a) whether RTP took all reasonable steps to identify and reduce risks and maintain the safety of competitors, employees, contractors, spectators and volunteers in the preparation for and the running of the event and in responding to the fire and the injuries, including access to medical support and evacuations;
b) the extent to which the terms and conditions applied by an event organiser to employees, volunteers and competitors and any associated sponsorship agreement with WA Tourism should reasonably protect the safety and interests of competitors, employees, contractors, volunteers and spectators;
c) insurance and civil liabilities matters and the appropriateness of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (Western Australia) provisions regarding liability of operators and organisation of recreational activities particularly of a high risk nature;
d) the extent to which WA Tourism adequately assessed the qualifications, capability, experience, and capacity of RTP to organise, promote and run the event safely and with appropriate protections to competitors, employees, contractors, volunteers and spectators and the extent to which these should be assessed for future events;
e) the role and actions of Western Australian government departments and agencies, including WA Tourism, DEC, FESA, Police and Health departments and local governments in respect of the event and the protection and rescue of competitors, employees, contractors, volunteers and spectators; and
f) whether there are measures that should be taken by government to ensure the risks including bush fires in remote areas in the context of extreme sporting events are adequately identified and addressed. |