Gordon Campbell: On The Royal Commission Pike River Report

While Kate Wilkinson has resigned as Labour Minister, it is clear from the Royal Commission Pike River report that the contributing factors were

(a) rooted in legislative changes made 20 years ago, and perpetuated under governments led by National and Labour and
(b) that New Zealand’s health and safety problems in the workplace extend far beyond the mining industry.

That is why the crucial proposal in the Royal Commission report is the setting up of a stand-alone Crown entity that would be dedicated to improving health and safety, across all industry sectors. So far, this has been the only recommendation on which the Key government is dragging its feet. The government wants more time to consider the proposal.

ALSO:

• Scoop Business - Race for coal production exposed Pike River workers to risks
• Parliament Today - A Flood of Reports
• Parliament Today - Focus on Pike River Mine Report
• Pike River Royal Commission - Final Report: Royal Commission on Pike River Coal Tragedy
• Pike River directors & CEO - Royal Commission Report into the Pike River Mine Tragedy
• NZ Govt - Govt responds to Pike River Royal Commission - Minister steps down after Pike River report - Acting Minister welcomes release of Pike River report - Ministers to present Pike River report to families - Pike River Royal Commission Report Presented
• Labour - Labour backs Pike River recommendations
• Greens - Time to put worker safety first - Govt must respond on health and safety after report tabled
• State Services Commission - Statement From Head Of State Services on Pike River Report
• EMA - Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson’s resignation regretted
• CTU - Attitude to Workers Key To Pike Report - Pike River Report Slams the Company and Government - Attitude to Workers Key To Pike Report
• EPMU - EPMU welcomes Pike River report
• NZ Society for Risk Management - Pike River Royal Commission Findings Show Failure of Board - Workplace Health And Safety Targets Grossly Inadequate
• CFMEU - Pike River Lesson: Look To Australia For Best Mine Safety
• PSA - Frontline Health And Safety Inspectors Dismayed By System - Mine inspectors cleared of individual responsibility
• MBIE - Response to Royal Commission on the Pike River Tragedy
• Duncan Cotterill - Pike River Report Has Important Implications For Rebuild
• Solid Energy NZ - Solid Energy Commits To Support Improvements In Safety
• Out-Link - No Right Turn: Utterly, horribly wrong
• Martin Doyle - Cartoon: The Pike Killer
• TVNZ - Q+A: Greg Boyed interviews Bernie Monk - Q+A: Panel Discussions 4 November 2012
• The Nation - Pike River Families Seek Independant Advice on Eve of Report
• Mark P. Williams - PM (& Shearer) on the Pike River Inquiry Report
• TV3 Video - Peter Whittall takes issue with Pike River report - Government prepares to be sued by Pike families - Mining experts meet on pike re-entry plans - Apology for Pike River families, manslaughter charge considered - Calls for criminal charges over Pike River - Pike River Coal put profit ahead of safety, says John Key - Political fallout following report - Report slams lax safety practices at Pike River mine - Pike River families appalled by safety record - Pike River report released today - International experts throw weight behind Pike River families



October:

• Institute of Hazardous Substance - Disgust at Pike River verdict
• EPMU - Low Pike River fine sends wrong signal
• Minter Ellison Rudd Watts - Pike River CEO enters not guilty pleas


• Image - 2010: NZ Police - Pike River: Footage of the third and fourth explosions