Push for inquiry into Ultramarathon fire

Western Australia’s opposition is pushing for an immediate inquiry into the government-sponsored Kimberley Ultramarathon that left two women with horrific injuries.

Opposition tourism spokeswoman Michelle Roberts told parliament on Tuesday the government had a “moral obligation” to investigate the September tragedy, that left competitors Kate Sanderson and Turia Pitt severely burned after they were forced to run through a bushfire to save their lives.

In an earlier media statement, Mrs Roberts said Ms Sanderson and Ms Pitt deserved to know why the tragedy occurred and whether the event organisers were negligent in not warning them of the impending danger.

Ms Sanderson and Ms Pitt were part of a group of four people cornered by the gorge fire while competing in the 100km event staged by Hong Kong-based adventure company Racing the Planet.

Two men in the group also received burns.

A senior police officer who headed an investigation last year was quoted in January as saying the event and its organisers should be subjected to a formal inquiry.

Mrs Roberts said Tourism Minister Kim Hames had agreed in December that the government had a “moral obligation” to investigate, but later backed down.

She said it was now time for an independent judicial inquiry into the event and its organisers.

“It would also determine if negligence on the part of event organisers led to the disaster and if adequate safety and evacuation measures were in place,” Mrs Roberts said.

Responding in parliament, Dr Hames said he “would have liked to have had an inquiry”, but was unable to, as the government had no jurisdiction over the event.

“I was very keen on finding a way to hold an inquiry . . . but it was a private event, on private land where competitors had waived their rights,” he said.

“(Kate Sanderson’s brother Ian) Sanderson made a very good point that in waiving their rights against the company, they didn’t expect to go away maimed by severe burns.

“But in the end . . . Public Sector Commissioner Mr (Mal) Wauchope said there were no powers in which I could hold an inquiry into that event.”

Dr Hames said Mr Wauchope was again looking into ways to hold an inquiry and expected an answer in “the not-too-distant future”.

“If he indicates a mechanism for this government to hold an inquiry, then I will do it,” Dr Hames said.

Fairfax reported on Tuesday that Ms Sanderson had finally been released from a Melbourne hospital after being treated for almost six months.

She and Ms Pitt had received burns to 80 per cent of their bodies, while the two men in the group had suffered burns to about 20 per cent of their bodies.

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