Stronger safety compliance policies will be adopted by the ACT government to cover its public schools, in line with recommendations from an inquest to the death of a Campbell High School student on Mount Ainslie five years ago.
Adriaan Roodt, 17, died after a log fell on him during a school capture-the-flag game on Mount Ainslie in October 2018. The year 10 student was transported to Canberra Hospital where he died.
During the physical education trip, Adriaan was hit in the head by a 188kg log he and some of his fellow students lifted during the game.
A coronial inquest made six recommendations and found "the timing and manner of Adriaan's death was tragic and unnecessary".
The coroner had found Adriaan's death was "preventable" and multiple government failings contributed to the demise of a "man in the making".
The government has formally responded to the findings of the inquest, agreeing with five of the recommendations and noting one.
Education Minister Yvette Berry said Adriaan's death had been an unnecessary tragedy.
"Last week, Adriaan's family, friends and loved ones commemorated the five-year anniversary of his death," Ms Berry said.
"Then, today and at many other times during the past five years - my thoughts have been with Adriaan's mother, father and sister. I extend to them my deepest condolences."
Ms Berry said the government welcomed and supported the recommendations made by coroner James Stewart, who handed down his findings in March.
The government agreed with recommendations that covered risk assessment training and compliance for teachers and staff, assessing the implementation of the a health and physical education taskforce's recommendations, and a review of physical activity and excursion policies.
The government noted a recommendation that the Attorney-General review the operation and application of work health safety laws to the Education Directorate.
"The Education Directorate is focused on ensuring compliance with the WHS Act and WHS policies through the work of the Safe at School Taskforce. This work includes the development of an overarching safety and wellbeing strategy to drive improvements in safety compliance, leadership and performance in ACT public schools," the government's response said.
"The ACT government will continue to monitor and ensure the WHS Act is appropriate for education settings, and make any necessary amendments accordingly."
Recommendations sought by the Roodt family, which included a review of the Education Directorate's physical activities and excursions policy and ongoing work health and safety training, had been endorsed by the coroner.
Ms Berry said there had been significant changes to policies governing physical education, outdoor education and excursions in the territory's public schools, which had resulted in better guidance and training for staff.
"The Education Directorate is undertaking a post-implementation review of these changes, which will identify any further opportunities to strengthen policies, practices and staff training," she said.
"The ACT government remains committed to the protection and safety of students at ACT public schools and will continue to build upon this work."
The government response said Campbell High School students no longer play capture-the-flag games on Mount Ainslie and a comprehensive review of health and physical education activities in public schools was completed immediately after Adriaan's death.
The government will provide a further update to the Legislative Assembly early next year.
Adriaan's mother, Sandra Roodt, told the inquest in April 2022 there were not enough words in the dictionary to describe the impact of her son's death on his parents, sister and grandparents.
"Adriaan was like a ray of sunshine, brightening up the lives of everybody he had contact with. When he died, it was as if a light was turned off for us," she said.
Ms Roodt at the time said the family wanted standardised policies, procedures and training put in place to cover risk assessments and staffing ratios.
"It might bring us comfort knowing that something constructive came from our indescribable loss," she said.
