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WorkSafe reject families' appeal for Solid Energy to stop work on Pike River seal

Author
Hannah Bartlett,
Publish Date
Thu, 24 Nov 2016, 5:46AM
Bernie Monk, father of Michael Monk who died in the Pike River disaster, says they are going to keep fighting for their loved ones (Supplied).

WorkSafe reject families' appeal for Solid Energy to stop work on Pike River seal

Author
Hannah Bartlett,
Publish Date
Thu, 24 Nov 2016, 5:46AM

UPDATED 10.27am A blow for the families of the Pike River mine victims hasn't halted their determination to keep on fighting.

LISTEN ABOVE: Author of a report commissioned by the victims' families David Creedy spoke to Mike Hosking

WorkSafe has rejected an appeal by the families for Solid Energy to stop work on a concrete seal for the mine.

But families' spokesman Bernie Monk said they're going to appeal the decision, and will keep fighting to have their loved-one's remains retrieved.

MORE: Company pulls out of sealing Pike River

He said they want New Zealanders to know how badly the families have been treated by the Government.

"We've got to explain to them that this job can be done. We've got all the expertise sitting here waiting to do it, and until they sit round the table, we're never going to go away."

Monk said the Government continually says the mine is Solid Energy's problem to deal with, but the families don't accept that.

"When the major heat goes on, all the government departments come and back them up, so they've just got everything on their side, but they'll slip up one day and we'll win something sooner or later."

He said the families are prepared to be patient, and keep on battling. He said they didn't expect to win the first round, and will keep on fighting.

The author of a report commissioned by the victims' families, which says it's possible to retrieve the bodies, said aside from retrieving bodies from the mine, there's a lot to learn from the evidence sealed under the rubble.

Author David Creedy told Mike Hosking after six years not much will have changed and it's still possible to go in.

"The whole mine will be full of methane. There's potential forensic evidence in the drift, so we can more about what happened and anything learned is important because information from Pike River is circulated around the world."

Mr Creedy said global mining companies are eager to learn more about the disaster.

 

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