The families of the 29 Pike River coal miners are having another day in court to continue their fight to hold someone accountable for the tragedy.
Mr Peters had made re-entering the drift a bottom line in any coalition deal.
Sonya Rockhouse, who lost her son, and Anna Osborne, who lost her husband, have taken their fight against former mine boss Peter Whittall all the way to the Supreme Court in Wellington.
They have been joined in the hearing by Bernie and Cath Monk, who lost their son Michael.
All political parties bar National have vowed to re-enter the mine as soon as possible.
All have just come from a meeting with Winston Peters to firm up discussions about the next government pushing on with a body recovery effort.
In the hearing this morning lawyer for the families, Nigel Hampton QC, argued the fact that 12 Health and Safety charges against Mr Whittall were dropped by the District Court in 2013 was unlawful.
"This is unprecedented in New Zealand history, unprincipled ... and unlawful," Mr Hampton argued.
He said the $3.41 million paid to families by Mr Whittall, around $110,000 per family, does not amount to reparations.
He compared the payment to being pursuant of a bargain and said the money was used to put an end to a prosecution.
The hearing is set down for the rest of the day.
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