CDC South East Queensland has been fined $180,000 for failing to ensure the safety of two young mechanics who were fatally injured while working on a broken-down bus. 

The fine comes after the company pleaded guilty to failing to comply with its health and safety duties.

The incident occurred in April 2022 when Aaron Pitt, 25, and Lleyton Bartlett, 22, were instructed to repair a bus on the side of Nambour Connection Road in Woombye. 

The Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard that it would have cost the company $660 to tow the bus to a safer location. 

Instead, the mechanics working roadside were struck by a BMW, driven by Kelly Renee Liddicoat, who was under the influence of prescription medications. 

Earlier this year, Liddicoat was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail for dangerous driving causing death.

Prosecutor Sarah Lio-Willie argued that the deaths were a foreseeable risk that could have been prevented with simple safety procedures, noting that the cost of towing the bus was a small price to pay to ensure worker safety.

Defence barrister Ben McMillan said the company had safety systems in place but acknowledged a gap revealed by the incident. 

Acting Magistrate Anna Smith agreed with the prosecution, stating that the risk of roadside repairs was very much foreseeable. 

She acknowledged the company's remorse and the steps taken to support the victims' families and improve safety measures.

CDC South East Queensland's CEO, Tony Hopkins, has expressed his deep regret over the incident. 

“There are no winners here ... I feel sorry for the families. That loss can never be overcome,” he said. 

“We are remorseful, we regret it, and the steps we put in place, we hope that they will lead to an incident like this never happening again.”

The company was also ordered to pay $1,600 in court fees. 

The maximum penalty for the offence in Queensland is a $1.5 million fine, but no conviction was recorded against CDC South East Queensland.