O'Connor Damien: General Debate 
O'Connor Damien: General Debate 
[Volume:671;Page:17769] 
Hon DAMIEN O’CONNOR (Labour) 
: 
 On 19 November last year a tragic event occurred on the West Coast. We had an explosion at the Pike River mine. There was shock horror and uncertainty as to what the result would be. Two people survived it and we held out hope that maybe others would also. On 24 November a second explosion occurred at which time the people of the West Coast—families living in hope—realised that 29 more miners had been killed and were likely to remain in the Pike River mine until a recovery operation was completed. In the midst of that tragedy I do not think any one of us would have guessed that within months we would have had a tragedy of far greater numbers over the hill in Canterbury. 
None the less on the West Coast much still remains unresolved. The recovery operation has been difficult getting information from inside the mine has been difficult and families have been put through a roller coaster ride of emotions. I cannot imagine what it has been like for them. This was New Zealand’s worst mining disaster since 1914 and there have been many rumours much speculation and many theories running around the West Coast since that time. However people have lived in hope that the remains of their family members—their brothers their husbands their partners—could be brought from the mine. There was the transfer of the mine from the police jurisdiction into the hands of the receivers and there was uncertainty about that as well. 
There was also the national memorial service which John Key and other Ministers came to. Commitments were given to the families not just then but prior to that. John Key said: “I gave a commitment to the families at Pike River I’d do everything I could to get their men out I stand by that.” And people held out hope that that would give them assurance. We had the national memorial service then there was an announcement that the recovery would continue and the Prime Minister said we would do our very best. He also said there would be a royal commission of inquiry. 
Yesterday another huge blow was brought to the families and the community in Greymouth when the Pike River mining company held an initial hearing—the royal commission of inquiry has not yet started—and said: “Sorry we don’t have money and we don’t think we can participate in this royal commission.” People were flabbergasted because in spite of the greater number of people perishing in the Canterbury earthquake—and we must offer our sympathies to all of our families over there—thankfully most though not all of those bodies have been recovered. But for the Pike River families on the West Coast the bodies have not been recovered and the issue remains unresolved. They cannot have closure. One of the things they had hoped for—in fact perhaps the only thing they had hoped for—is that something would come from this terrible tragedy. In the past the lessons of such tragedies have been transferred through into mining regulations—better knowledge better practice. The reality of course since 1992 when the National Government was last in power was that it did away with mining regulations. I am sure that that will be a matter for much debate and discussion when the royal commission hears evidence. The possibility that the Pike River mining company will not be able to present all the knowledge and all the facts that it has regarding the planning the development and the operations of the mine is shocking to us all on the West Coast and I think to most people in New Zealand. We need to absolutely be assured that all the company’s records all its knowledge and its employees past and present will be available to give information to the royal commission. It is essential. 
Although much weight is put on the status of the royal commission we have seen in the past unfortunately examples where even royal commissions have not concluded accurately the information.