stuff.co.nz

SO EVERYONE WAS PISSED OFF ABOUT THIS STORY ON PETER WHITTALL IN YESTERDAYS ‘SUNDAY STAR TIMES’. WHAT I FIND SURPRISING, APART FROM THE NZ MEDIA DECISION TO MAKE HIM A GOD AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION, WHEN IT WOULD SEEM OBVIOUS TO ANYONE FROM THE AREA THAT THE MINE WAS UNSAFE, AND EVERYONE IN GREYMOUTH KNEW THAT FACT DAMN WELL. I REMEMBER WATCHING THE EXCELLENT ’60 MINUTES’ ON THE EXPLOSION FROM DECEMBER 2010, WHEN WHITTALL ACCEPTED EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRONG WITH THE MINE, WHICH IS LISTED HERE…..

Among the investigation’s findings:
- A system to track the miners’ whereabouts, trumpeted as a safety initiative, had never actually worked
- A procedure to contain explosive coal dust was described as inadequate and three months before the explosion the Department of Labour issued a warning
- Concerns over an emergency escape route were widespread
- A series of underground ignitions had to be dealt with by the company
- Contraband items including a cigarette lighter had previously been found in the mine
The programme also probed the country’s mining regulations including Pike River’s own concerns that there was not enough oversight of the industry.

HE KNEW THE MINE WAS UNSAFE. THE MINERS KNEW THE MINE WAS UNSAFE. THE TOWNSPEOPLE KNEW THE MINE WAS UNSAFE. SO CAN WE CUT ALL THIS FINGER POINTING SHIT AND MOVE THE DEBATE ONTO MORE IMPORTANT AREAS. LIKE THE FACT KIWI PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES IN DANGER JUST TO BRING HOME A PAYCHECK? DOES THAT NOT MATTER? BULLSHIT SITUATION BUT ALL THE PEEPS INVOLVED NEED TO GET HONEST AND ADMIT THEY ALWAYS KNEW THE MINE WAS UNSAFE. AND NOTHING WAS DONE.
WATCH THE STORY HERE.