Safety comes first, the Prime Minister said today after re-entry into the Pike River mine drift was delayed due to the detection of heightened oxygen levels.
Re-entry was scheduled to begin tomorrow.
Twenty-nine men died in November 2010 after two methane blasts tore through the mine.
"We have to listen to the information that has arisen and the expert advice we receive," Jacinda Ardern said today.
She said the Government would be meeting with the Pike River families to discuss the next steps.
She said there should be more information over the next few days "around the trajectory for re-entry".
"Safety has to come first. That has always been the focus both of families but also the Government and the agency."
When asked if she could confirm re-entry would go ahead, Ms Ardern said, "I’m going to rely on experts conveying that kind of information to the families".
"It is no doubt deeply upsetting having a delay like this, because these families have waited so long."
"But they were always very quick to say re-entry must be a safe re-entry, safety must come first and that's what's taking priority here."
Earlier today, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announced there had been "unexpected and unexplained readings" recorded by atmospheric monitoring systems.
Mr Little described it as a "temporary set back" and said that it shows unpredictable elements of the drift.
He said there was a variable read at the end of the drift that could not be explained. It was detected yesterday and confirmed overnight.
"Obviously it's disappointing but we are going to observe safety first," Mr Little said.
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