PRC Pike River Coal

[Balance]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11945226

Unforgivable that Labour and Winston Peters are now backtracking on the re-entry into Pike River.

The families of the dead miners are so easily manipulated - so sad.

[trader_jackson]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11945226

Unforgivable that Labour and Winston Peters are now backtracking on the re-entry into Pike River.

The families of the dead miners are so easily manipulated - so sad.

It is absolutely terrible, and saddening.

It wasn't just the family who were swayed to voted for Winston/Jacinda due to their "cast iron"/"bottom line" guarantee of re-entry into Pike River. Another one to add to the "three headed monster U turn list", growing by the day.

[Joshuatree]

Think you have the wrong govt there balance.Im glad at what they are doing and the transparency that the previous govt did not have.

"And 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."

"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."

[Balance]

[FONT="] Think you have the wrong govt there balance.Im glad at what they are doing and the transparency that the previous govt did not have.

"And 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."
[/FONT]
"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."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...election-deals

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8853...ection-promise

On the contrary, Joshuatree - I have followed this company and its tragic aftermath carefully.

Winston Peters and Andrew Little remind one of funeral directors selling inflated priced bibles to the impoverished families of the deceased and for added profits, to the dead to be placed in the coffins.

As if the dead miners' families have not gone through enough.

[Joshuatree]

The families are closely involved in this balance . If it can be done safely, a bottom line for the families this revue will find it. Absolutely offensive what the previous govt didn't do.

[minimoke]

I cant figure it.

Andrew Little was head of EPMU union at the time of the explosion and he is on record as saying the Pike River was an excellent company and defended their safety record (sorry - cant be bothered getting the direct quote - look it up in the Radio NZ Morning report on 21 November 2010 if in doubt) He was prepared to have his members down a dodgy mine back then. Why is he not prepared to send people down now?

Apparently an excuse currently being considered is the risk of rock fall. Any rocks loosened by the explosion would have likely been shaken free after the 7.8 Culverden earthquake. If that ground movement couldn't move loose rock not much else will.

Mining is inherently dangerous - especially underground mining. This issue is not mining. It is essentially walking into a long tunnel filled with potentially explosive gas. If methane is as high as reported risk of explosion is nil as methane / oxygen ratios all wrong for an explosion.

An unmanned entry has apparently been thrown aside on the basis there are already dead robots in there and new technology isn't proven Well - an ideal proving ground I reckon for something like drone technology. Keep something off the ground.

Given we already allow dangerous occupations to continue working (forestry / fishing / farmers on quad bikes etc) there can be no rational reason for not allowing people down the drift providing proper risk minimisation is in place. Prevent people going down the drift on safety grounds ought to mean preventing people from carrying out other known fatally dangerous occupations.

[Balance]

The families are closely involved in this balance . If it can be done safely, a bottom line for the families this revue will find it. Absolutely offensive what the previous govt didn't do.

Yes, the families are 'involved' because they are desperate to believe and want to believe.

So they become easy prey to false promises.

And Winston and Little were quick to sell them the bibles which they are now backtracking like crazy.

Winston is very good at screaming 'cover-up' but let's see whether he will be the first into the mine.

[Joshuatree]

You are being totally insensitive to the families. Think about it

[Balance]

You are being totally insensitive to the families. Think about it

Someone has to speak the truth and cold hard reality - I have spoken out against the gross mismanagement of the mine despite all the stones and arrows directed at my direction.

The stones, insults and arrows only stopped after the mine blew up.

Do you honestly believe that Winston Peters and Andrew Little had the best interests of the families at heart?

Look at how quickly they are now backpedaling - and the families are keeping quiet because they know they have been had.

[Joshuatree]

You are insulting the families, shame on you.Listen to the families

But Bernie Monk, who lost his son Michael in the disaster, rejected Ms Adam's criticism and said he was upset by the comments.
"They're (the government) being straight up and down the middle.
"The National government hid behind things the whole way through here, locked our experts out of any negotiations of making this happen and she's a great one to say that. And, I feel a bit hurt by it and offended by what she's saying.
"We all don't want things to happen but we're making sure that all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed and we will get through this - not like the National government's done over the last six years of hiding behind and keeping it all in secrets."