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At least three inquiries are being mounted into the Pike River Coal mine disaster described by Prime Minister John Key as having "ripped at the guts" of the country.
A second massive methane explosion in the mine yesterday closed off any hopes of finding alive any of the 29 trapped miners.
A commission of inquiry promised by Key and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson is expected to be signed off by Cabinet on Monday.
Key says he wants to bring in some overseas expertise to help
find answers.
The families of the 29 miners killed in the mine want to know what
went wrong.
"The government is absolutely committed to a Commission of Inquiry that will leave no stone unturned to ensure they get the answers to why their men are not coming home," said Key, in Greymouth.
The Prime Minister wants at least one outside expert involved, probably from Australia.
"It's important we get to the bottom of the facts here and we have the best expertise in the world," he said.
Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean has set the ball rolling for his own special inquiry , starting tomorrow, after being told that police were satisfied there had been 29 deaths.
Judge MacLean told ONE News on Wednesday it was too soon to say whether there will be an inquest.
"What will begin tomorrow is a flow of information from the police as with any coronial inquiry, as to who the immediate family are, what evidence there is to identification, all that sort of things. We've got a big process to get underway," he said.
"An inquiry could become an inquest but that's for another day. The Prime Minister indicates that Cabinet may make a decision on whether there will be a royal commission of inquiry and depending on what's happening there that will influence which direction we go in."
The inquiry would help families of the dead by drawing together enough evidence to issue interim death certificates on which insurance companies might be prepared to pay out.
"We have to sort out identification issues... then move towards documentation which families may need to assist with all the bureaucratic stuff institutions require," he said.
Questions which needed to be answered included whether any of the bodies were likely to be recovered.
Police Minister Judith Collins said she expected police to hold their own inquiry.
Wilkinson said the terms of reference for a commission of inquiry still had to be worked through.
"We've got to act pretty fast. Something has gone drastically wrong - and we need to find out what it is, what happened and we need to do our best to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"The families need answers, and we, as a country, need answers."
The Department of Labour will hold its own investigation on workplace safety.
It will be the department's biggest ever inquiry and teams have already been on the ground since the weekend.
Wilkinson had eight Department of Labour officials on the scene, including both the nation's mine inspectors but she has declined to speculate whether the mine would ever reopen.
The mine, near Greymouth, was less than two years old - Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee opened it on November 27, 2008.
Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) national secretary Andrew Little said there was scope for the inquiry to take a wider view of the safety of miners underground in general, and not just the specific cause of huge methane blasts.
Little said the focus had to primarily be on what happened at Pike River, but the inquiry could look at how that mine's operations measured up to industry standards, and whether those standards were adequate.
Overall, the union was concerned about the number of fatalities and serious injury in New Zealand mines, where the environment was hazardous and consequences could be catastrophic.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commenttit4tat said on 2010-12-03 @ 18:25 NZDT: Report abusive post
condolences to the families, concern about the industry that allowed these men to work in unsafe conditions, mines are dangerous thats true but none can put their hands on their hearts and claim they have gone above and beyond what is lawfully required of them to ensure their "mates" safety. Glenn Grindly could lead the way by ensuring his mine workers and his local community are 110% protected people b4 profit yeah right!!!
tropicalkiwi said on 2010-12-02 @ 23:35 NZDT: Report abusive post
To the families of the miners, my condolences. My thoughts have been with over the last 13 days, I have shed tears for your loss and hope that the support you have been shown in some small way helps. You will remain in my thoughts.
james q said on 2010-12-02 @ 17:17 NZDT: Report abusive post
Tragedy has brought Australia & New Zealand together yet again. My thought are with the West Coasters in NZ from the west coast of Australia.
wellthatsafinemess said on 2010-12-02 @ 13:50 NZDT: Report abusive post
when your here your here when your gone your gone there is nothing to be said there is nothing can be done and when the bell tolls your on the final run to your maker you may fly upon wings of mercy sigh forever you will be in our hearts & our minds eye Rest in Peace Gentlemen.
turret said on 2010-12-02 @ 13:27 NZDT: Report abusive post
to hear your voice,to see you smile to sit and talk to you a while to be together the same old way that would be our greatest wish wish today.....to hear you laugh,to hear you cry on just a chance,to say goodbye to say the things we didn't say that would be our greatest wish today But all we can dois throw flowers on the water look fo the sun through the rain Lay a little flower gentle on the water Remember how we loved you to comb you hair,to lace your boots buy some beer ,let you choose .