Pike River Recovery Agency

Pike River Recover Agency
Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa
Agency overview
Formed 2017
Jurisdiction New Zealand
Minister responsible
Website Pike River Recovery Agency

The Pike River Recovery Agency, (Māori: Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa) is a stand-alone New Zealand Government department. Its stated aim is to work with families who lost loved ones during the 2010 Pike River Mine disaster to plan for decisions on the manned re-entry of the drift of the Pike River Mine. The Agency's purpose is to gather evidence on the Pike River Mine Disaster with the goals of preventing future mining tragedies, giving the Pike River families closure, and if possible recovering the bodies of the deceased miners.[1]

History

Minister for Pike River Re-Entry Andrew Little announced the formation of the agency on 20 November 2017, with its formal establishment due to take place on 31 January 2018. The Pike River Recovery Agency will be an establishment unit within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The Agency will also be headed by a Chief Executive recruited by the State Services Commission. The Agency plans to have formulated a plan for mine re-entry by the end of March 2018. The Government has allocated NZ$23 million to funding the agency's operations and mine re-entry over a three-year period.[2]

The Pike River Recovery Agency will also take over ownership of Pike River mine from Solid Energy, which is scheduled to enter into liquidation in mid-March 2018. After the planned re-entry, ownership of Pike River will return to the Department of Conservation, including a planned Pike29 Memorial Track, as part of Paparoa National Park.[3]

On 31 January 2018, the Pike River Recovery Agency formally came into existence with its headquarters being based in Greymouth on the West Coast.[4] On 19 April, Little entered the Pike River Mine portal with Pike Family representatives Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse to demonstrate that a safe re-entry was possible. He promised that the Coalition Government would re-enter the drift to recover evidence and the remains of loved ones.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Pike River Recovery Agency established". New Zealand Government. Scoop. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Pike River Mine Factsheet" (PDF). Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Government to establish new Pike River agency". Newshub. 20 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "Pike River Recovery Agency". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Andrew Little enters Pike River portal". New Zealand Government. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
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