Dreamworld operator Ardent Leisure's CEO Deborah Thomas faced a hard line of query from a reporter in the latest press conference around the Dreamworld tragedy, around a reported large performance bonus.
Source: Sky News
Dreamworld boss Deborah Thomas has quit her role just six months after four people were killed on the amusement park's Thunder River Rapids Ride.
Thomas, who was the CEO of Dreamworld's parent company Ardent Leisure, will take on a more junior role at the company.
Thomas, who will become Ardent Leisure's chief customer officer and chief operating officer (Australasia), steps down half a year after Kate Goodchild, Roozi Araghi, Luke Dorsett and Cindy Low were killed at Dreamworld.
Ardent Leisure CEO Deborah Thomas at the reopening of Dreamworld on December 10, 2016, six weeks after the tragedy. Photo / Getty Images
"During Deborah's leadership our company has experienced an unprecedented level of reorientation and change and has positioned itself strongly for solid future growth," Ardent Leisure chairman George Venardos said this week.
Shares in the company rose slightly on the news that Thomas was leaving.
New boss Kelly earned more than $300,000 in the 2016 financial year - more than any other executive in Australia - but will take a pay cut in his new role.
Chief financial officer Richard Johnson also quit the company, for personal reasons.
In early January, Ardent Leisure released a statement revealing Dreamworld ticket sales had dropped to A$3.66 million ($3.97m) - down 63 per cent - in just 21 days over December.
Over the same period in 2015, the park raked in A$9.89m in ticket sales.
Dreamworld is believed to have suffered a loss of A$10m in the six weeks it was closed as a review of safety at the park was completed.
The park has also had issues with its rollercoasters stopping mid-ride in recent weeks.
In January - just a month after Dreamworld reopened following the four deaths at the park - one of the rides shut down, leaving park guests dangling 119m above ground.
