Pike River recovery by 2019
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government expects the recovery in the drift at Pike River Mine will be completed by March 2019.
Ardern said the Government did not believe any health and safety laws needed to be changed to re-enter the mine.
The final decision on whether to enter would lie with the Minister Responsible for the Pike River Re-entry, Andrew Little.
He would not confirm whether he would be legally responsible if something went wrong during the process but under health and safety laws, a person would be held liable, and he said the agency would answer to him.
The Government would still seek more information on the safety of re-entering the mine’s drift. There would always be some risk, Ardern said, adding that they would weigh up whether that level of risk was acceptable.
The agency will be set up by the end of January 2018, with the aim of re-entering the mine, and recovering any remains, by March 2019. Ardern said this would bring the families some ‘‘much overdue closure, and if possible, peace of mind’’.
The Government has budgeted $7.6 million a year for three years, up to $23m.
An explosion ripped through the West Coast mine on November 19, 2010, killing 29 men. Their bodies have not been recovered.
The coalition agreement between Labour and NZ First included a commitment to re-enter the mine. Before the election, both parties committed to re-entry.
The Pike River families have always said they only wanted a reentry if it was safe to do so.
The Government has also committed to involving the families in the process. If there were road blocks, they would know about it.
Little said under the former Government, the families felt excluded from the process, and they did not have all the information.
‘‘The new agency will make sure that the families and their experts are listened to, respected and included. It is crucial to make every effort to recover the drift, so it can be comprehensively investigated.’’
He said the employees who were asked to enter the mine, would have the option of refusing if they believed the task posed a risk. This was the status quo under health and safety legislation.
Pike River family spokesman Bernie Monk, who lost his son
"This is really important to us but it is also important to all of New Zealand. We should not be a country where a crime-scene goes unexamined for seven years." Pike River family spokesman Bernie Monk
Michael, said the families could not ask for more than what the government had done.
‘‘After seven years of stalling and of being fobbed off by the last Government, we’re now making great strides towards re-entering the drift and recovering remains and evidence,’’ he said.
‘‘This is really important to us but it is also important to all of New Zealand. We should not be a country where a crime-scene goes unexamined for seven years.’’
While other family members were excited, Monk said it was bittersweet as this progress could have been made a long time ago.
‘‘There will be no celebration here until the job is done.’’
Anna Osborne, whose husband Milton died in the mine, has said the families didn’t take this lightly.
‘‘We’ve all lost loved ones so we know what that feels like to lose a loved one in a workplace accident. So we don’t want anyone to risk their lives going into a mine to retrieve our loved ones’ remains.’’
But expert advice to date had said a manned entry was possible.
Osborne said the involvement of family members in the creation of the new agency showed the job would be done properly.
‘‘This is a transparent and inclusive process and we’ve made it clear that safety comes first.’’
Sonya Rockhouse, who lost her son Ben, said it really felt like they’d hit the ground running. The families would meet with Little for an update this morning.
The agency’s official name would be the Pike River Recovery Agency, Te Kahui Whakamana Rua Tekau ma Iwa. The te reo component of its title translates to The Empowering Voice For The Pike
29.
Sunday marked seven years since the explosion. The day was marked by Little handing the families the keys to the mine access road gate.
❚ Editorial, A6