Govt sets out plan for Pike re-entry

The families of some of the 29 men killed in the Pike River disaster say there will be ‘‘no celebration’’ until the mine’s drift has been re-entered.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced yesterday that a new agency would be set up by the end of January 2018, the mine re-entered, and any remains recovered by March 2019.

The final decision on whether to enter would lie with the Minister Responsible for the Pike River Re-entry, Andrew Little. He would not say whether he would be legally responsible if something went wrong, but under health-and-safety laws a person was liable, and he said the new agency would answer to him.

Pike River family spokesman Bernie Monk, who lost his son Michael when an explosion ripped through the West Coast mine on November 19, 2010, said the families could not ask for more than what the new 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.’’

The families would meet with Little for an update this morning.

While other family members were excited by yesterday’s announcement, Monk said it was bittersweet as such progress could have been made a long time ago.

‘‘There will be no celebration here until the job is done,’’ he said.

Anna Osborne, whose husband, Milton, died in the mine, said the families did not take the prospect of re-entry 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.’’

Expert advice to date said a manned entry was possible and the involvement of family members in the creation of the new Pike River Agency showed the job would be done properly, she said.

‘‘This is a transparent and inclusive process and we’ve made it clear that safety comes first.’’

Sonya Rockhouse, who lost her son Ben in the mine, said it felt like they would hit the ground running.

Yesterday, Ardern said the Government did not believe any health-and-safety laws needed to be changed, but the Government would seek more information on the safety of re-entering the mine’s drift.

There would always be some risk, but the new agency would weigh up, based on evidence, whether the level of risk was acceptable, she said.

The agency’s official name would be the Pike River Recovery Agency, Te Kahui Whakamana Rua Tekau ma Iwa. The Te Reo name translates to ‘‘the empowering voice for the Pike 29’’.

Ardern said the plan would bring the families some ‘‘much-overdue closure and, if possible, peace of mind’’.

The Government had budgeted

$7.6 million a year for three years, up to

$23m, for the agency and re-entry. The coalition agreement between Labour and NZ First included a commitment to re-enter the mine.

‘‘. . . We should not be a country where a crime scene goes unexamined for seven years.’’

Bernie Monk, Pike victim’s father

Little said under the former government the families felt excluded from the process and 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 not entering if they believed the task posed a risk. This was the status quo under New Zealand health-and-safety law.

National workplace relations spokeswoman Amy Adams said the Government had ‘‘wound back’’ its promises, from both before the election and in recent weeks.

‘‘This approach closely reflects the view of the previous government – that safety is paramount.’’

The Government recognised it could not waive health-and-safety laws, rush nor force a re-entry, Adams said.

‘‘The National Party continues to support re-entry, if it can be safely achieved and I would encourage the Government to listen to the experts.’’

Ardern and Little said the commitment to families had always been to do whatever they could to re-enter the mine, but safety was always paramount.