South Australia's corruption commission will investigate SafeWork SA, after the workplace safety watchdog dropped charges over the death of a young girl on a ride at the Royal Adelaide Show.
Health and safety charges had been laid against inspection company Safe is Safe over the death of eight-year-old Malaysian girl Adelene Leong, who was flung from the Airmaxx 360 ride in 2014.
But SafeWork SA announced on Wednesday it had withdrawn the charges.
"This decision was made after new information came to light, which meant there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction," the safety watchdog said in a statement.
The matter has now been referred to the ICAC, Bruce Lander, who will look into the SafeWork SA investigation and the evidence obtained.
"Ordinarily I would not confirm or deny whether a complaint or report had been made to the Office for Public Integrity or whether a particular investigation was underway," Mr Lander said in a statement.
"However, having regard to the public interest in the prosecution arising out of the SafeWork SA investigation, and the fact that the prosecution was withdrawn this morning, I felt that it was in the public interest to confirm that an investigation into the matter is underway."
In 2017, SafeWork SA successfully prosecuted the operators of the ride, C J And Sons Amusement, and one of its directors, Jenny-Lee Sullivan.
The amusement company was notionally fined $94,500 and Ms Sullivan $63,000, but an Employment Tribunal Magistrate did not make an order which would force them to pay because of their precarious financial position.
The court found a serious design fault and day-to-day failings with the operation of the ride contributed to the death of Adelene, who was flung more than 10 metres from the ride as her mother watched.
SafeWork SA and Mr Lander said they would not comment further on the withdrawal of the charges.
