PM needs to show leadership on Pike River body retrieval

Following the news that a second body has been identified in the Pike River mine, the Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister to take the lead and provide certainty for families.

Video exploration of the Pike River mine has revealed a second body in the mine, close to the opened self-rescue box discovered earlier, and in a different location to the first body found.

West Coast-based Green Party MP Kevin Hague said the discovery of a second body, revealed to families on Wednesday night, would inevitably cause increased distress, frustration and anger.

“The Prime Minister needs to take the lead and provide some certainty for families about exactly what the process will be to retrieve the men’s remains,” said Mr Hague.

“These traumatised families are being exposed to more and more stress as a result of the uncertainty about who is responsible for making the decision to retrieve the human remains from the mine, and what the plan is for doing so.

“Many of these families simply cannot move on to the next step in their grieving until this has been dealt with properly, and Government can help with that right now.”

Mr Hague said the Prime Minister needed to follow through on his earlier reassurances and tell the families:

• Who was responsible for making the decision to retrieve the men’s remains;
• What criteria would be used to make the decision;
• Which organisations and individuals would have responsibility to maximise the probability of being able to make the decision to enter the mine; and
• What exactly was being done to maximise that probability.

“The families and the public deserve to know the path forward to bring these men out of the mine,” said Mr Hague.

“John Key also needs to clarify for families and for the public that efforts to retrieve the men’s remains will continue, regardless of what happens to the ownership of the mine’s assets.

“Most New Zealanders view with horror the idea that these men will only be brought home if a commercial decision is made to re-open the mine.

“These are absolutely the wrong priorities, and Mr Key needs to correct that impression if that is not his intention, and rethink his priorities if that is what he intends.”

Mr Hague said that he had asked the Prime Minister a series of Questions for Written Answer to try to obtain these assurances for the families.

“I’ve lodged written questions, but the public interest would be better served by the Prime Minister responding to these issues immediately,” said Mr Hague.