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New Zealand government rejects experts’ plan to fully investigate Pike River mine disaster
On May 27, New Zealand’s Labour Party-led government formally rejected a Conceptual Development Plan submitted by international mining experts to investigate further the Pike River underground coal mine, to uncover the precise causes of the 2010 disaster that killed 29 workers.
The Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) produced the plan on behalf of 23 of the 29 families of the men who died at Pike River. The group includes former chief inspector of mines Tony Forster, UK-based mining engineer David Creedy and mines rescue expert Brian Robinson. They have all studied the disaster for years and provided advice to government agencies on how the mine can be safely explored to recover evidence and potentially human remains.
The political establishment, media and unions are nervous about the growing opposition to the Labour Party-led government’s attempt to shut down the investigation of the 2010 Pike River mine disaster, which killed 29 men.
The WSWS spoke with writer and poet Fiona Kidman, who for several years has supported the fight by families of the 2010 Pike River mine disaster victims for a full investigation to uncover the precise causes of the disaster, and for justice for the 29 men who died.