National criticises low probability of body recoveries from Pike River

National is criticising the Government over the likelihood of recovering human remains from Pike River. However, Andrew Little says re-entry had always been about giving the families closure and promoting accountability for the tragedy. 

During the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee yesterday, the Pike River Re-entry Minister said the objective of re-entry was to gather evidence that might support a prosecution.

"A further objective which runs further concurrent with that is better understanding the causes of the disaster," Mr Little said. 

Twenty-nine men died at Pike River in 2010.

"In terms of recovery of human remains, I’ve always maintained I think there is a very low probability of that," Mr Little said. "If we do recover anything that’ll be something that is important to the families."

National's Maureen Pugh said much of the public are under the impression the Pike River re-entry operation was underway to recover bodies.

Mr Little said that was not the main objective. 

"Right from the outset the objective has been very clear, which is to recover the drift and to get down to the Pit Bottom in Stone.

"I think it is true the families want, to the best extent possible, all bodies to have been recovered.

"But as they have been briefed throughout the project... they have become aware the level of technical effort required and the health and safety risk associated with going into the mine’s working... that it is just impractical."

National’s Pike River Re-entry spokesperson Judith Collins then accused Labour of "years of promises and false hope" around re-entry. 

"Re-entering Pike River and recovering the bodies of those lost in the mine explosion was one of Labour’s promises on the campaign trail in 2017, trumpeted by both Andrew Little and Jacinda Ardern," Ms Collins said. 

"But three years and $35 million later, progress has been very slow even allowing for delays caused by Covid-19, and yesterday the minister admitted... there is little chance of human remains being found."

Ms Collins said the Government had built false hope among the families.

In 2016, Mr Little said the then-National Government wanted to  "wash its hands of the whole thing, and move on" .

"They don’t seem to care no-one has ever faced court for those 29 deaths, or that the families have never got the bodies back to bury. That’s not the way Kiwis do things. We do right by people. We ensure that, when there is wrongdoing, there is justice. We keep our promises.

"It’s time a proper effort is made to bring their men home. They’ve waited long enough," Mr Little said at the time. 

In August 2017, Jacinda Ardern, then Opposition Leader, said re-entering the drift would mean "we can recover some of the men and evidence of the cause of the explosions".

"That will help deliver justice and answers, and bring the men home to their families."

Today, Mr Little responded by saying the Government had always been completely upfront with the public.  

"There has been no change to the mandate of the Pike River Recovery Agency, which has always been to safely re-enter and recover the Pike River Mine Drift, to give the Pike River families closure, to promote accountability for the tragedy that occurred in 2010 where 29 men lost their lives, and to help prevent future mining tragedies."

Mr Little said it was important to examine the Pit Bottom in Stone area to fill in "gaps" from what the 2012 Royal Commission established

"I have been clear from the outset that recovery of human remains is a low probability, but there remains a possibility remains may be found in the Pit Bottom in Stone area," Mr Little said.

"In that event that remains were found in Pit Bottom in Stone [they] would be evidence and carefully and sensitively repatriated.

"At all times, the Government has been completely upfront with the families, and the families know the recovery project does not extend beyond the rockfall into the Workings."

Of the findings in the inquiry, it found there were "numerous warnings of a potential catastrophe" at Pike River, health and safety was not properly managed, and the Department of Labour "did not have the focus, capacity or strategies" to ensure Pike was meeting legal responsibilities.

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