Little: Mine entry can’t be promised
Pike River Mine minister Andrew Little says he cannot guarantee a reentry of the mine and has told family members he will do what he can but safety is the top priority.
Little will take his proposals for the membership and structure of the Pike River Re-Entry Agency to Cabinet on Monday after commemorating the seventh anniversary of the disaster at Pike River tomorrow.
Those plans include another risk assessment to decide whether a manned re-entry is possible.
He had promised families they’d be involved every step of the way.
“When we get to the point where we’ve done the planning, done the risk assessment and we’re at the point where we make a decision yes or no, they will be part of that decision.
“In the end there can be no absolute guarantee. But what we can guarantee is that we’ll do the job properly, plan, prepare and assess and they will be involved every step of the way.”
He said that would involve assessing whether any risks could be mitigated and on the advice he had seen so far, that was likely.
“Ultimately, and the families are very clear, the first principle of the set of principles that are governing what we do is safety, the safety of anybody involved in the re-entry project. I’m not going to put anybody at undue risk. I’m simply not going to.”
He did not intend to legislate for any exemption to the health and safety laws or immunity from liability for the Pike River Agency.
“I’m confident we can do everything that’s needed in terms of planning and preparation without it.”
Little said there were several options for the Cabinet to consider which ranged in cost from less than the $10 million National had set aside to more costly and thorough options.
As Labour leader, Little had promised a manned re-entry to the drift of the mine to look for the remains of any of the 29 miners who died in the November 2010 explosions and any evidence.
Anna Osborne, whose husband Milton died in the explosion, said the experts retained by the family members would be involved in the safety review Little was planning to ascertain a plan for re-entry. “Until we hear it from our own experts’ mouths we will not accept that Pike River drift cannot be re-entered.”
Osborne said Little had so far been true to his word to involve families.
Andrew Little talks of past and future