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Key accused of broken promises on Pike

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Pike: Key accused of broken promises

3News NZ

Pike River mine (AAP)

Pike River mine (AAP)

Opposition MPs accuse Prime Minister John Key of breaking promises to the families of the 29 men killed in the Pike River coal mine.

Labour and the Greens ask if Solid Energy, now tasked with mine development, will recover the miners' bodies when the state-owned company is partially privatised.

Energy Minister Phil Heatley says Solid Energy and the government have an agreement about body recovery to formalise the Government's expectations.

Solid Energy, which has finalised the purchase of the mine where 29 men died after the blast on November 19, 2010, will take all reasonable steps to recover the bodies from the mine as long as it's "safe, technically feasible and financially credible".

Labour MP Damien O'Connor says the families have been told they may have to wait eight years to recover the bodies of their loved ones.

"John Key was one of the first to step in and offer comfort to the miners' families. He has now shifted all the responsibility to a company that he intends to sell off," Mr O'Connor said.

The families had every right to accuse Mr Key and the government of having broken a promise.

Greens MP Kevin Hague says a privatised Solid Energy may be less likely to focus on body recovery.

Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder says West Coast geology and mining conditions are among the hardest in the world and are unforgiving in every way.

The mine is on Department of Conservation administered land.

NZN

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Comments

11/05/2012 5:10:25 p.m.

Ernst wrote:

I don't know what the obsession with removing bones from this tragedy is. Those poor guys are long gone and if retrieved would probably be cremated so why the big fuss? As for John Key being accused of lying what would Shearer and his untalented lot do?

11/05/2012 4:20:05 p.m.

Kate wrote:

It is terribly sad for the Pike River families but what did they expect from John Key ? On September 4th 2010 after the first Christchurch earthquake he said 'EQC have $15 billion waiting to be spent, no-one in Christchurch will suffer', yet we have families sleeping in cars and people trying to survive in broken houses. The lesson we should take from all of this is that John Key and his government cannot be trusted.

11/05/2012 3:18:46 p.m.

Phil wrote:

It was probably unwise for John Key to promise anything, given that he is not a mining expert. His heart was in the right place, he just didn't realise the enormity of the task. No shortage of some trying to make political capital yet again.

11/05/2012 3:16:23 p.m.

chris wrote:

No promise has been broken at all. Read the facts. The bodies will be recoverd when its 'safe'. The left would like to see more lives lost rescueing them.

11/05/2012 2:06:13 p.m.

Sara wrote:

Another broken promise by John Key - this one is unforgivable.

11/05/2012 2:05:34 p.m.

David wrote:

I think in all honesty that Kiwis have to evaluate this story and many other in recent weeks that show the honesty and integirty of John Key. When questioned on recent events John Key has been vaugue or told outright lies. When asked about Simon Lusk the Prime Minister said " I dont recall" turns out he did. He also promised to maintain frontline staff levels... and yet we are facing a huge biosecurity alert that could cost the agricultural sector billions each year... and it turns out that forntline biosecurity staff have been cut by 10 percent since Key took office. Key is making the country a much more dangerous place to live in, and lieing at every single opportunity to try and cover his arse.