Dunne Peter: Motions — Pike River Mine West Coast—Explosion 
Dunne Peter: Motions — Pike River Mine West Coast—Explosion 
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Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
: 
 On behalf of United Future I join with others who have spoken in support of the motion moved by the Prime Minister a little while ago. New Zealand at the moment is in a state of suspended animation. Everywhere we go there is but one topic of conversation one issue of concern. But the concern and the state of anxiety that we feel is little compared with that being experienced by the families of the affected miners right now. We might feel uncertain on edge anxious and all of the sentiments that have been expressed but that can be multiplied infinitely in terms of the impact it is having on those families who cling minute after minute hour after hour and increasingly day after day to the hope that this will lead to a positive outcome. 
I think all of us would acknowledge that since the tragedy became apparent on Friday afternoon the company the police the rescue authorities and other organisations that have been mentioned today have done a huge job in terms of trying to effect the most effective and safe rescue as quickly as they can. Our patience simply has to endure to allow that effort to continue and hopefully eventually be brought to a satisfactory outcome. 
It is at a time like this that all of us look into the recesses of our own being and reflect upon its impact upon us. In my case—and I obviously was not around at the time—I remember my family talking about the Brunner explosion because my great-grandfather was a mining inspector at that time. I remember my grandfather and his family talking about Strongman. 
When I saw on Saturday the list of people who were missing in the mine at Pike River I saw the name of Milton Osborne who was United Future’s 2005 West Coast - Tasman candidate. All of those types of experiences impact upon all of us as Kiwis. We all have our connections and we all think sometimes “There but for the grace of God go I.” in such circumstances. Well for the 29 affected men and their families last Friday there was not that option. Now we live with the hope that the efforts which are relentless and determined on their part to bring them to safety will succeed. 
As others have said this is not the time for recrimination or investigation—that will come later. The focus at the moment has to be on the rescue operation and bringing that to an efficient hopefully speedy and safe conclusion. But the lessons from this incident will need to be learnt and will need to be put in place in terms of some solution to prevent as my colleague from the Maori Party commented upon a moment ago another name being etched on to that litany of names of West Coast mining disasters. 
Last night there was a poignant scene on television of miners standing by the Strongman memorial looking out over the Tasman Sea. I recall although I do not recall the lines specifically a very moving poem written at the time by the former Labour MP for West Coast Paddy Blanchfield about the Strongman Mine. This tragedy however it unfolds will be similarly remembered. We have to hope for the sake of the men and their families the West Coast community and the mining community generally that this leads to a safe and satisfactory outcome. 
Motion agreed to.