Commission Sets Dates For Hearings To Examine Phase Three: What Happened At Pike River?

The Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy has set the dates for hearings in relation to its inquiries into Phase Three: What happened at Pike River?

Phase Three will examine the cause of the explosions, the company’s operation and management practices and regulatory oversight.

The Phase Three: What happened at Pike River hearing dates are:

Written evidence by: Monday 19 September 2011

Hearings: Monday 14 November to Friday 25 November 2011

Monday 5 December to Friday 16 December 2011

(Monday 19 December – Wednesday 21 December 2011 have been set aside if required)

Tuesday 7 February – Friday 17 February 2012

The Commission is mindful that the hearings will be held at a time when the West Coast community and the country will be marking the one year anniversary of the tragedy at the Pike River Coal Mine.

There are four phases to the Commission’s inquiries based on a List of Issues the Commission has determined need to be addressed to enable it to report on its terms of reference.

They are Phase One: Context;
Phase Two: Search and Rescue;
Phase Three: What happened at Pike River? and
Phase Four: Policy Aspects.

Hearings in relation to Phase Two: Search and Rescue are scheduled to start on 5 September 2011.

ENDS

For further information visit http://pikeriver.royalcommission.govt.nz.

© Scoop Media