[jocko]

ACC is the main investment arm of the New Zealand Government. The darling financial performer in the first decade of the new century. On money stolen by Gary Wilson on behalf of the Government with his approved exit program that dumped over thirty thousand legitimate ACC claimants on to WINZ benefits. The cases Martin vs ACC High Court and McGrath vs ACC supreme court have proven the greater majority of these exits were illegal.

[jocko]

17,033,320
ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CORPORATION-NZCSD
C/o National Nominees New Zealand Ltd, 125 Queen Street, Level 2, Bnz Tower, Auckland, New Zealand

12,010,907
402062
NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED
125 Queen Street, Level 2, Bnz Tower, Auckland, Nz

5,966,321
1474228
NEW ZEALAND SUPERANNUATION FUND NOMINEES LIMITED
Level 17, Amp Tower, 29 Customs Street West, Auckland

5,143,132

[jocko]

PIKE RIVER COAL LIMITED
114243



Shareholdings
Total Number of Shares: 414,327,334
Extensive Shareholdings: Yes

102,637,600
488250
NZOG SERVICES LIMITED
Level 20, 125 The Terrace, Wellington

26,246,304
GUJARAT NRE LIMITED
Lot 1, Cnr Bellambi & Princes Highway,, Russell Vale, Nsw, Australia

22,309,358
SAURASHTRA WORLD HOLDINGS PTE LIMITED
3 Phillip Street #18-00, Commerce Point, Singapore

17,033,320
ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CORPORATION-NZCSD
C/o National Nominees New Zealand Ltd, 125 Queen Street, Level 2, Bnz Tower, Auckland, New Zealand

12,010,907
402062
NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED
125 Queen Street, Level 2, Bnz Tower, Auckland, Nz

5,966,321
1474228
NEW ZEALAND SUPERANNUATION FUND NOMINEES LIMITED
Level 17, Amp Tower, 29 Customs Street West, Auckland

5,143,132
AMP INVESTMENTS STRATEGIC EQUITY GROWTH FUND
C/o Bnp Paribus Securities Services, L15, 171 Featherston Street, Wellington

3,803,283
DOUGLAS, Kevin Michelle
125e Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Suite 400, Larkspur Ca

2,530,305
NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED
L18, 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne

2,004,091
303826
HSBC NOMINEES (NEW ZEALAND) LIMITED
Level 9, One Queen Street, Auckland 1
The validation code for this Company Extract is: EXT18802290
For further details relating to this company, check www.companies.govt.nz.
Extract generated 23 November 2010 07:53 AM

[jocko]

Group:Members
Posts:14
Joined:30-March 11


Posted 23 November 2011 - 02:09 PM


hukildaspida, on 22 November 2011 - 11:03 PM, said:


Does anyone know whom at http://www.acc.co.nz Investment Team decided to invest in Pike River Mine?


Who signed the investment off on our behalf as stakeholders in http://www.acc.co.nz and when?

Is the person (or people) who did sign the investment into Pike River Coalmine under investigation as well for their role in investing in a business that clearly was not a safe working environment?

We as stakeholders are entitled to answers as it is our Public Funds.

We don't recall the media asking some of these questions that need to be publically answered.




hukildaspida - write a reqest under IFO to ACC or PM for info !

[hukildaspida]

Dr Keith McLea now at http:///www.acc.co.nz formerly an official with the occupational safety and health service of the Department of Labour.

http://accforum.org/...ment-bill-1992/

[hukildaspida]

http://www.pikeriver...o.nz/18601.html

http://www.pikeriver...co.nz/7901.html

This website is NOT related to the company Pike River Mine.

If you have information that you would like to share relating to either -

The report of smoke being seen coming from the mine the evening before the blast
Pike River Mine company safety
The rescue operation
Any other relevant information

Please send an email to info@pikerivermine.co.nz

SEE NO EVIL
PIKE MINE VICTIMS
GOVT & PIKE OATH
COMMISSION PHASE 1
COMMISSION PHASE 2
COMMISSION PHASE 3
PIKE RIVER NEWS
COVER UP
POLICE CONFLICT
TIME LINE
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
EVIDENTIAL ANSWERS
PETER WHITTALL
MISTAKES MADE
COMPANY CONFLICT
GOVT CONFLICT
OSH CONFLICT
ACC CONFLICT
COMPANY FINANCES
HAWERA FAULT
CONTACT

Would the possibility of criminal negligence cause the company to mislead the public as to what really happened at the Pike River mine?

Is there any reason why Government officials prefer to have matters surrounding the Pike River Mine swept under the carpet? Is the Government's motivation to sweep matters under the carpet related to their own potential liability of negligence contributing to the death of 29 men?

What other existing conflicts are there with the New Zealand Government and the Pike River Mine company -

* Is it concerning to the National Government, particularly the Prime Minister (John KEY) and the Minister of Mining (Gerry BROWNLEE) that their new multi-billion dollar project to mine on conservation land is now under threat as a result of the Pike River Mine incident?

* Is the Government's involvement with Pike River Mine further complicated as a result of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) investing tax payer funds heavily into Pike River Mine - a company that has always underperformed. Is it embarrassing for the ACC that not only have they invested in an underperforming company but that it has also invested in a company that has very poor risk management and staff safety procedures.

* Does it make matters worse that the New Zealand superannuation fund was also a substantial investor?

* Was the Department of Conservation adhering to the terms of the company's mining permit by reviewing the level of gas emissions coming from Pike River Mine? Was the Department of Conservation turning a blind eye to the Pike River Mine company working outside the hours permitted in their mining permit?

* Why did the Police not run in parallel to the search and rescue operation an investigation of possible negligence by the Pike River Mine company.Given the probability of company negligence, why did the police allow the company to effectively control the operation and then hand over full control of the scene to the company prior to the bodies or locations of the remains being located?

* Why has the police effectively allowed the company ample opportunity to contaminate vital evidence?

Is there any chance of an investigation cover-up in order to hide all blunders made by Government officials?

Is the Pike River Mine tragedy one of New Zealand’s most shameful events?

Media reports which the police and officials seem to be unaware of, or turning a blind eye to, include – ·

* Initial reports that smoke was seen coming from the mine on the evening before the explosion occurred.

* When a Pike River employee finished his shift at 8.00 am on the day of the blast he had reported gas problems. This employee was a father of one the deceased miners (Brendon Palmer, aged 27) http://www.nzherald....jectid=10689312

* On his first video interview, (http://tvnz.co.nz/na...5-video-3904281) PeterWHITTALL said the miners were working the afternoon shift. In a further interview approximately two weeks after the blast WHITTALL refers to one of the deceased miners (Peter O’NEILL) as having worked a 12 hour shift (Ref Guy ESPINER interview (TVNZ) published 28 Nov).

* If O’NEILL had worked a 12 hour shift does that mean he worked a nightshift?

* If O’NEILL worked a night shift does this make the claim that smoke was seen coming from the mine the evening prior to the blast highly relevant?

* Is it also highly relevant therefore that an employee (Palmer) finished work at 8.00am on the day of the blast and reported gas problems?

[jocko]

bump

[not their victim]

Govt's sell off-firms are top performers
By Adam Bennett 5:30 AM Thursday Jan 5, 2012


Expand Mighty River Power produced an 8.2 per cent return last year. Photo / APNState-owned energy companies earmarked for partial sale are generating returns well in excess of the Government's cost of owning them and outperform most similar private sector companies, says a report released just before Christmas.

Labour says the Government delayed the release of the report until after Parliament rose for the holidays because it knew it undermined the economic case for partial privatisation.

The report, by accounting firm Ernst & Young, analysed the "economic profit" of 19 SOEs, including those earmarked for partial privatisation.

Mighty River Power, which will be the first of the three state-owned electricity generators and retailers to be partially privatised, last year produced an 8.2 per cent return on the Crown's $3.48 billion investment.

That rises to 10.9 per cent if revaluations of its fixed assets such as power stations during the year are included.

The "weighted average cost of capital" (WACC) for Mighty River and the two other power companies, which represents the cost to the Crown of owning the companies - including a premium for the risk to the Crown's investment - was 6 per cent.

Genesis Energy, likely to be the second company partially privatised, also produced returns above the WACC, at 6.8 per cent or 9.4 per cent including revaluations.

New Zealand's largest power company, Meridian, did not produce above-WACC returns, returning just 5 per cent because of revaluations associated with the sale of the Tekapo A and B power stations to Mighty River and payment of the proceeds to the Government.

Excluding revaluations, Meridian's return on investment was 11.1 per cent.

Announcing his Government's plan to proceed with the part-sales a year ago, Prime Minister John Key said the companies would "reap the benefits of sharper commercial disciplines, more transparency and greater external oversight".

But Ernst & Young's report shows the three companies have performed well compared to their private sector counterparts.

Over the 10-year period which Ernst & Young examined, Mighty River consistently produced a return on investment better than three-quarters of 27 companies in New Zealand, Australia and the US which were used as a benchmark.

Meridian outperformed three-quarters of its private sector rivals in all but one of the past 10 years, and Genesis matched or bettered three quarters in all but two of the past 10 years.

Labour finance spokesman David Parker said the state-owned power companies' strong performance was "no surprise to me".

"This is further proof that these companies are already well run and profitable, and that they're not going to be better run as a consequence of private ownership.

"It further underscores that the only way these companies are going to make more money substantially is by increasing prices."

The Treasury's Crown ownership monitoring unit released the Ernst & Young report on December 22.

Mr Parker said the release of the report just before the Christmas break was a deliberate attempt to minimise its impact.

"It could have been released earlier easily so it could have been commented on in Parliament because it's obviously damaging," he said.

New State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall issued a statement last night, saying the Treasury portfolio report was released in December every year.

THE FIGURES


Return on invested capital Return on capital excl. revaluations
Mighty River 10.9 per cent 8.2 per cent
Genesis 9.4 per cent 6.8 per cent
Meridian 5 per cent 11.1 per cent



By Adam Bennett | Email Adam

[Corrupt Motive]

Huggy, on 23 November 2010 - 06:00 AM, said:

Do the figures 17 million shares @ $1.20 a share a few months ago equates to nearly $20.5 million dollars in shares.









PIKE RIVER COAL LIMITED
114243



Shareholdings
Total Number of Shares: 414,327,334
Extensive Shareholdings: Yes

102,637,600
488250
NZOG SERVICES LIMITED
Level 20, 125 The Terrace, Wellington

26,246,304
GUJARAT NRE LIMITED
Lot 1, Cnr Bellambi & Princes Highway,, Russell Vale, Nsw, Australia

22,309,358
SAURASHTRA WORLD HOLDINGS PTE LIMITED
3 Phillip Street #18-00, Commerce Point, Singapore

17,033,320
ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CORPORATION-NZCSD
C/o National Nominees New Zealand Ltd, 125 Queen Street, Level 2, Bnz Tower, Auckland, New Zealand

12,010,907
402062
NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED
125 Queen Street, Level 2, Bnz Tower, Auckland, Nz

5,966,321
1474228
NEW ZEALAND SUPERANNUATION FUND NOMINEES LIMITED
Level 17, Amp Tower, 29 Customs Street West, Auckland

5,143,132
AMP INVESTMENTS STRATEGIC EQUITY GROWTH FUND
C/o Bnp Paribus Securities Services, L15, 171 Featherston Street, Wellington

3,803,283
DOUGLAS, Kevin Michelle
125e Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Suite 400, Larkspur Ca

2,530,305
NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED
L18, 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne

2,004,091
303826
HSBC NOMINEES (NEW ZEALAND) LIMITED
Level 9, One Queen Street, Auckland 1
The validation code for this Company Extract is: EXT18802290
For further details relating to this company, check www.companies.govt.nz.
Extract generated 23 November 2010 07:53 AM NZDT

Good Morning Huggy, how would i go about obtaining the information posted here in a 'formal form'

Many Thanks

[concerned]

Corrupt Motive, on 05 January 2012 - 10:29 PM, said:

... how would i go about obtaining the information posted here in a 'formal form'

Compines office:
http://www.business.govt.nz/companies
Search for Pike River Coal
then the tab for Shareholdings

[hukildaspida]

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10783726

Pike River families design 'aggressive' plans to speed up process
1:18 PM Monday Feb 6, 2012

File photo / NZ Herald

Families of Pike River victims frustrated at the lack of progress in returning the fallen miners' bodies are designing "aggressive" action plans to speed up the recovery process.

The families have been forced to dig into their own pockets to commission independent engineers and experts to find alternate methods of recovering the remains of the 29 miners who died in explosions 15 months ago.

A review, commissioned by the grieving families, has given an agonising three-year time-frame for reaching the dead men.

But the engineers who came up with the review have been told to go away and come back with three alternative options for recovery, which will be presented to "certain interested parties" later this week.

Bernie Monk, a spokesman for the Pike River victims' families, says they feel "let down" by the inactivity which he says "all comes down to money". The Paroa Hotel publican said: "We're still stuck where we were 15 months ago. We should've been down [the mine] six months ago.

"We're not putting up with it anymore and so we're going to be very aggressive towards recovery."

Last week, the families met with engineer Bruce McLean who they have employed, along with their lawyer Nicholas Davison QC.

They were given "three different options" of the best ways to recover the fallen men.

Mr Monk, father of 23-year-old victim Michael Monk, explained: "I can't say what those options are yet. We've sent the engineer away to update his propositions, and later this week we will be in a position to reveal the options to certain interested parties and put the cards on the table.

"We've had enough. We're sick of having to wait for the receivers and for Pike River because they've got nowhere."

Receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers has been brought in to oversee the sale of the troubled mine, which they now say is imminent.

But as the sale drags on, uncertainty remains over who will pay for the recovery deep underground.

Grey Mayor Tony Kokshoorn has been pushing the government to help launch, and invest in to, a trust fund to pay for the recovery.

However, the Pike River families feel uncomfortable about asking for money and are seeking their own way forward.

Mr Monk said: "I really feel gutted that it's been left to us. It shouldn't be up to us to shell money out to get this done but it obviously won't happen unless we do it ourselves.

"We feel embarrassed talking about money because it's not what we're all about - we're all about recovery.

"The whole situation of recovery of our guys is down to money, and Pike River and the receivers haven't got it. They've been relying on the sale of the mine, but we're not happy with that.

"Now that the sale is basically at a standstill, we don't want to hear in a year's time that is still the case."

The Pike River families will next meet on Wednesday where they will discuss their updated options and decide on when to reveal them, Mr Monk says.

- APNZ

[not their victim]

I think, that the initial tv interviews with out honourable P.M ought to be replayed

he made a promise...at whatever cost....to extract the remains of the 29 men, who died in the mine....

hold him to his promise...


otherwise the families will never move past the anger stage of grieving...

[jocko]

When I was 23 I worked as a Machine miner for Lakeview and Starr at Kalgoorlie in West Australia in a Goldmine that reached 32,000 feet underground. The machine was like a jackhammer on an airleg and drove a rotary drill. When tunnelling shafts on my own I could bore 21 six foot holes. Then load them with explosives ( the one that was diesel and fertiliser was best)and fire the bastards myself. So forty years ago, on my own,I was breaking a fathom a shift. That is;Tunneling 2 meters every seven hours.What the fuck is the hold up? There is only one way in. An alternative drive that will act as a return airway and escape route for the New mine. the drive in the old mine was way too big. All of our mines are too big. We need to have smaller, easier to ventilate mines and more of them instead of the lunatic corporate giant they tried to pull for the stockmarket with Pike River.
You can not mine here like you can elsewhere. Solid energy wastes millions in downtime while it is developing new seams of coal. This is because they stop and start like idiots. They should have a team focussed only on development, preparing and readying new mines before they are needed.

[hukildaspida]

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10784128

Pike River Inquiry: What caused deadly blast?

By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
10:13 AM Wednesday Feb 8, 2012

File photo / APN

The Pike River Mine explosion was probably caused by a rockfall that sent explosive gases rushing through the mine, just as the water pumps were turned back on, causing electrical equipment to spark.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry resumed in Greymouth this morning, where it finally delivered some answers about the deadly November 2010 explosion that left 29 men dead in the underground West Coast mine.

Justice Graham Panckhurst told media before the start of today's hearing the preferred theory was a large collapse in the 'goaf', the void left by mining, which would have sent methane rushing through the mine.

About the same time, the surface control room operator Daniel Duggan had turned on the water pumps back into the mine after a period of maintenance, although not to the hydro monitor coal-cutting machine.

This in turn re-powered the underground electrical system.

Department of Labour experts believe the combination of that caused the variable speed drive, which had components throughout the mine and moderated the supply of current, to spark.

Problems with variable speed drives have been reported in Australia.

There was possibly arcing.

"Nothing Daniel did was wrong,'' commissioner David Henry said.

Analysis of the actual blast suggested it was largely methane-based.

No one has been fully underground since the explosion, and the commissioners stressed this morning that their idea of what happened was based on the most likely probabilities.

The Department of Labour had reached these findings largely using its own investigation report, with a panel of five experts.

Department of Labour general manager national services and support Brett Murray, a lead investigator, is due to give evidence this morning, followed by other key experts.

Mine staff are due to give evidence next week.

Mr Duggan's brother Chris, also a coalminer, died in the explosion.
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star

[hukildaspida]

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10790914

Pike River mine sold to Solid Energy
By Kurt Bayer
Updated 3:54 PM Friday Mar 9, 2012

The sale of Pike River mine to state owned coal company Solid Energy has been welcomed by the West Coast community as a "giant step" towards retrieving the bodies of the 29 miners, trapped underground since the explosion in November 2010.

Receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers this afternoon announced that Solid Energy had placed a successful bid for the explosion-hit mine near Greymouth.

The sale was conditional on due diligence, with a final settlement expected by May at the earliest.

An emotional Bernie Monk, spokesman for the families of the Pike River dead who lost his 23-year-old son Michael in the disaster, was "excited" by the sale decision.

He said today it brought families closer to recovering the bodies of the men inside the mine.

"Solid Energy has said in the past that recovery is their main priority and that is a giant step for us.

"The families are very emotional about it. I'm pretty emotional and teary to be honest, but I'm excited. This is the first positive news we've had for 15 months."

Mr Monk said friends from Solid Energy had been alongside him since the day of the explosion, when they broke the news that his son Michael had died.

They had assured him Solid Energy workers would down tools to get the bodies out of the mine, he said.

"I had this gut feeling this would happen eight or nine months ago. It's great to see it.

"There's a long way to go, we can't just open up the mine and walk in, but it's a very positive step. We're finally dealing with people that we can trust."

Pike River Coal, which had been valued at $400million before 2010, went into receivership after the disaster.

It was understood that there were several potential buyers from Asia, South America and Australia interested but Solid Energy, New Zealand's largest coal mine group, were the only ones who signalled clear intentions over recovering the 29 bodies.

Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn also welcomed news of the sale to Solid Energy, which operates the Spring Creek underground mine on the West Coast.

"I always preferred Solid Energy as the buyer. They know the geography of the place," Mr Kokshoorn said.

He said he had been given an assurance that the various parties were still committed to a trust fund being set up for the recovery of the bodies.

PwC Partners John Fisk, David Bridgman and Malcolm Hollis, Receivers of Pike River Coal Limited (In Receivership) today announced they have reached agreement with Solid Energy New Zealand Limited for the sale of the assets of Pike River Coal Limited (In Receivership).

The agreement is conditional upon due diligence by March 30, 2012, together with other conditions, with settlement expected in May or later depending on approvals being obtained.

Mr Fisk confirmed the sale in a statement released this afternoon. He said: "We, as the receivers, are pleased with this agreement as we consider it the best way forward for all parties.

"As part of the agreement, negotiations will continue with the Crown to establish a trust that will help oversee efforts to enter the main area of the mine and facilitate body recovery - if it is safe and technically feasible.

"In the meantime, work on the tunnel reclamation is continuing. We will provide further updates as appropriate.

"No further details of the transaction or any related matter can be released until the agreement is unconditional."

- APNZ
By Kurt Bayer | Email Kurt

[hukildaspida]

Labour Dept admits Pike River failings

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10796219

By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
3:27 PM Monday Apr 2, 2012



The Department of Labour has admitted it could have done better at the Pike River Mine.

Under current legislation, the employer is responsible for providing a safe workplace.

Department of Labour lawyer Kristy McDonald QC told the Royal Commission of Inquiry today (Mon) that the department could have done more to support its inspectors.

She also said it could have taken enforcement action over the lack of a second egress and stone dusting at Pike River. Instead, its inspectors were encouraged to negotiate with the mining company.

The inspectors did not know of the extensive evidence of problems at Pike River, including high methane readings, because the company did not tell them. Even the mine manager was not aware of all of the problems, she said.

At times, the department had only one dedicated mining inspector, and they were not trained to carry out audits.

A new high hazards unit, complete with a chief mines inspector, had been set up since the Pike River disaster, but she noted that changes were in their infancy.

Commissioner David Henry said that setting up the high hazards unit was commendable but he queried whether it should be a completely separate government department.

``I'm not aware that has been considered at all,'' Ms McDonald said.

The department now wants a substantive review of the underground mining legislation, including moving away from the requirement that companies take ``all practicable steps'' to keep staff safe, and replacing it with something more definitive.

It is proposing what it is calling a `three pillars of support' concept more employer responsibilities, more support for worker involvement in health and safety, and an active regulator.

All operators would be required to produce auditable health and safety management systems and emergency plans, and there would be stricter controls on hazards such as methane.

The Ministry of Economic Development would assess permit applications under the Crown Minerals Act, including principal hazard management plans before mining could begin.

Ventilation officers and worker health and safety representatives would be required.

However, the department does want to retain the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Ms McDonald said the three levels of decision making over risk assessments - a big issue in the days after the deadly explosion - could be streamlined.

The department wants mines to develop emergency response plans, and conduct safety drills underground.

It also wants the mine manager to play a greater role in any future rescue efforts, with the department retaining the right of veto.

It wanted the police to retain the lead role.

Commissioner Stewart Bell suggested the chief mines inspector would have something valuable to contribute, too.
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star

[hukildaspida]

NZ mine inspections 'in tatters'
http://www.nzherald....jectid=10796256

By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
Updated 6:34 PM Monday Apr 2, 2012


The Pike River coal mine from the air after the explosion. File photo / NZ Herald

The Pike River Royal Commission of Inquiry was told today that the reputation of the mines inspectorate was in tatters after the West Coast mine disaster and the role should be outsourced to Australia.

The commission resumed in Greymouth today for the final phase of hearings. It is due to deliver its findings to the Governor-General by September.

Solid Energy told the commission it wants the inspectorate contracted out to an overseas regulator, preferably from Queensland.

That would alleviate the problem of trying to staff the New Zealand unit in direct competition with Australia, and "the risks are the same no matter whether you mine in Queensland or the Buller'', Solid Energy lawyer Craig Stevens said.

Solid Energy owns underground coalmines in Waikato and on the West Coast, including Spring Creek, New Zealand's largest underground mine, near Greymouth.

"The challenges of being able to establish a fully resourced and efficient coal mines inspectorate in New Zealand under the high hazards unit and in a market which is rapidly becoming a single market, is a very big ask,'' Mr Stevens said.

Tony King, from the Coal Industry Association, said the inspectorate used to be a place where mining professionals were happy to go, but that had changed significantly over the past 20 years.

Its reputation needed rebuilding, but he acknowledged it would be hard to match Australia's pay and conditions.

Unlike Solid Energy, the coal association favoured a local inspectorate. In such a small country, Mr King said there were issues with how it was resourced and staffed.

However, he warned that contracting the inspectorate overseas could lead to a high turnover of people rotating in and out, with no specialist knowledge of the individual mine sites they were inspecting.

Commissioner Stewart Bell said the Australian mining industry was booming and was picking up anyone with mining skills, offering better money.

"I think you'll find it will move it to another level (soon),'' Mr Bell cautioned, saying one jurisdiction alone "across the ditch'' had eight new mines coming on stream.

Mr Bell noted that Solid Energy still wanted Australian inspectors when its Spring Creek Mine was recently closed by the new acting chief mines inspector, Australian Gavin Taylor, due to safety failures.

Commission chairman Justice Graham Panckhurst asked if the Australians were even open to providing an inspectorate service in New Zealand.

Solid Energy also proposed a senior underground coal inspector take a lead role in any future disaster, noting that at Pike River the police had to `Google' what the Mines Rescue Service was on the night of the disaster, November 19, 2010.

If a Cook Strait ferry got into trouble, the police would not be helicoptered on to the bridge to take over the controls, Mr Stevens said.

In an aside, the inquiry heard from mining contractor McConnell Dowell, which had its men leave the mine just three minutes before it blew up.

Lawyer Grant Nicholson said none of those men had seen anything unusual underground at Pike River that day.

"When they left that mine that day they had no idea how lucky they were about to become.''

Justice Panckhurst said the commission had seen little evidence from McConnell Dowell, which had been involved with Pike River from the start to the end, despite the quantity of evidence it had received.

"I struggle with that.''

The inquiry also heard there were three underground coalmines in the country currently operating and two more in the pipeline - the Terrace at Reefton is due to reopen, and Bathurst plans a partial underground mine at Denniston.

The commission is expected to hear more tomorrow on whether there should be a return to the use of trade union check inspectors, something Solid Energy is not keen on amid concerns they could become involved in industrial disputes.

Police insist on lead role in mine rescues

The inquiry has also seen police say they should again take charge in the wake of a mining disaster, even though they wrongly thought the Pike River Mine 29 had survived for days after the first explosion and were holed up in underground rescue chambers.

In earlier hearings, the police were strongly criticised for running the rescue effort, and for their complex command structure which meant the rescue operation was run from the mine site, Greymouth and Wellington.

In past years, the Mines Rescue Service, not police, had a far greater role, along with the mine manager, in co-ordinating the rescue efforts.

But police maintained today that they should be in charge after a major mine disaster.

Lawyer Simon Moore SC said although police officers were not mining experts, the police had practical experience of handling "the real thing'' - real life and death emergencies.

The mine manager would not be suitable to lead a rescue, he said, noting that former Pike River mine manager Doug White initially did not realise there had even been an explosion.

Mr Moore said there was a need to have someone in Wellington dealing with other department heads, the diplomatic core and securing specialist equipment. That person should also help make life and death decisions.

The incident controller for Pike River, Superintendent Gary Knowles, should have been based at the mine site at Atarau, 40km north of Greymouth, but he had to be in town where the families were gathered.

"No location was perfect,'' Mr Moore said.

However, commissioner David Henry said police still wanted a three-tier command structure, and questioned whether future re-entry decisions could be made quickly enough.

Mines Rescue Service lawyer Garth Gallaway said that for five days the police wrongly thought the men could be alive and trapped, whereas Mines Rescue doubted that possibility.

It had been a large blast which lasted 52 seconds in a small mine, and all the men carried self-rescuers and had been trained to walk out in the event of trouble.

Apart from survivor Daniel Rockhouse, who was much closer to the mine portal, there had been no contact from underground, and the gassy atmosphere in the immediate aftermath of the explosion was probably deadly.

Instead, the police relied on comments from former Pike River chief executive Peter Whittall, Mr Gallaway said.

Police also thought there were rescue chambers underground, and that wrong information had been passed on to experts overseas.

These were some examples of why the three-tier police command structure did not work. It took 72 hours for footage of the explosion to reach the Wellington office.

Mines Rescue has argued that the statutory mine manager should play a far greater role in any future disaster.

It wants more scrutiny of those taking up statutory management roles, with a board of examiners to assess candidates before issuing a certificate of competency.

It also wants its levy (Mines Rescue is currently funded by mining companies) increased, and a new funding system introduced.
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star

Photo / File Pike River: Miners accessed self-rescue kits
Pike River mine sold to Solid Energy
Former Pike River managers have their say
Labour Dept admits Pike River failings

Related Tags

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Pike River mine blast

Be part of the news. Send pics, video and tips to nzherald.

[hukildaspida]

Thanks Laura for keeping us up to date on this very tragic matter that should never have happened.

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10801635

Electronics manufacturer denies causing Pike disaster
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
6:17 PM Thursday Apr 26, 2012


The Pike River coal mine from the air after the explosion. File photo / NZ Herald

The expert report that blamed electrical components inside the Pike River Mine lighting up like a 'Christmas tree' as a contributing factor in the November 2010 disaster was "overly simplistic'' and "antiquated'', the manufacturer said today.

In February, Australian mining consultant Tony Reczek, one of a panel of five experts investigating the cause of the explosion for the Labour Department, told the Royal Commission of Inquiry that the explosion occurred just seconds after the water pumps were switched on in the control room on the surface.

Mr Reczek said he thought the variable speed drives (VSDs) had arced and sparked, igniting gases, saying the mine's electrical system would have lit up like a Christmas tree when the power pumps were restarted.

Rockwell Automation, which made the VSDs, learned it was a key part of the inquiry only a week before the Royal Commission heard the evidence publicly.

Rockwell filed its response with the Commission on March 15, but it was not discussed at the final hearing. It was released to the Greymouth Star this morning.

Their report said Mr Reczek did not consider Rockwell's current technology.

Rockwell had now simulated what happened at Pike River that day and said his conclusions were "implausible''.

The company's own simulation showed that the water pump motors could not have overheated for the reasons Mr Reczek proposed. It also showed the system would not have arced and "could not have been an ignition source''.

Even if there were higher than normal current loads, an 'overload' function in the system would have terminated them.

The company's detailed evidence, filed from Wisconsin, USA, disputes many technical points. For example, Mr Reczek said a diode rectifier caused harmonics, but the VSDs at Pike River did not even use them.

The Royal Commission, which is considering all the evidence, must report back by September.

Other theories have been put forward for the cause of the disaster, including someone underground with contraband, or a diesel machine.
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star

Photo / File Pike River: Miners accessed self-rescue kits
Pike River mine sold to Solid Energy
Former Pike River managers have their say
Labour Dept admits Pike River failings

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http://www.stuff.co....-at-Kiwi-safety

Whittall worried at Kiwi safety
NEIL REID
Last updated 05:00 10/06/2012



Pike River mine disaster
Former Pike mine boss shuts up shop after tragedy Families' fight to recover Pike bodies over Mine disaster doco will be hard to watch Former Pike River boss breaks silence Pike River mine warning: 'She's going to blow' Pike managers 'scapegoats', lawyer claims Mine entry may have been possible Solid Energy wants NZ rules aligned to Australia Pike River 'unsurvivability' decision too late Faster recognition of blast 'unsurvivability' needed

Peter Whittall spoke of his concerns about New Zealand workplace safety standards shortly before the Pike River mining disaster.

Whittall is defending 12 charges laid against him under the Health and Safety and Employment Act 1992, following the mining tragedy which claimed the lives of 29 miners and contractors.

Last weekend the Sunday Star-Times revealed that Whittall – chief executive of Pike River Coal at the time of the explosion – was a founding signatory to a major "zero-harm" workplace initiative.

The pledge that Whittall signed stated he would "take personal responsibility for making health and safety a vital part of my business".

Now it has emerged that Whittall aired his own issues with health and safety standards six months prior to the November 19 tragedy on the West Coast.

Whittall spoke out at a May 2010 meeting of the Department of Labour-convened Workplace Health and Safety Council.

Minutes of the meeting – obtained by the Star-Times – record Whittall telling the meeting health and safety in New Zealand was fragmented, with no standard "matrix or definitions". "Being from Australia, Peter made the comment that it all `feels like late 1980s stuff' and there is a long road ahead," the minutes read.


The meeting also featured 11 officials from the Labour Department, as well as representatives from the Accident Compensation Corporation, Business NZ, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and Maritime NZ.

Whittall attended the meeting as a representative of the Business Leaders' Forum on workplace health and safety.

He had signed the forum's pledge, in which he vowed to:

Take personal responsibility for making health and safety a vital part of my business; and

Create a workplace where everyone views health and safety to be as natural and important as quality, profit and customer service.

Whittall's pledge also stated that Pike River would: "Hold itself accountable before its peers by sharing its health and safety performance."

His signed pledge also stated his company would: "Champion health and safety – inspiring our people, suppliers and customers to create zero-harm workplaces."

But the ongoing royal commission of inquiry into the Pike River disaster has heard a catalogue of woe at the Pike River mine, including safety concerns, problems with the mine's design and heavy criticism of Whittall's management style, including the way he handled health and safety.


Confirmation of Whittall signing the "zero-harm" workplace accord was greeted with surprise by Pike River families spokesman Bernie Monk.

Monk – who lost his son 23-year-old son Michael in the tragedy – said Whittall had failed to honour the pledge he had signed.

"I am bloody disgusted [after reading] that article, how sadly we were let down by people like Peter Whittall," he said.

"I just can't think that [he] was serious in what they were saying and signing their lives away to, to let something like Pike River happen.

"Now everyone seems to be coming out of the woodwork to say there were major faults at Pike.

"Here we are losing people unnecessarily."

Meanwhile, Monk said the Pike River families had no plans to push for a memorial to be erected at the entrance of the mine.

Two prominent memorials have already been constructed on the West Coast for the Pike River 29 – one in central Greymouth and another on land near the mine.

A third memorial for the Pike River 29 had been proposed at Greymouth's Lake Karoro.

Families of the dead miners and contractors have since decided that the memorial should be dedicated to all who had lost their lives in West Coast mining tragedies.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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http://www.nzherald....jectid=10836718

Spring Creek: 500 breadwinners out of work
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star
5:49 PM Wednesday Sep 26, 2012

Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn and Spring Creek union delegate Trevor Bolderson lead the delegation of coal miners onto Parliament Grounds yesterday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Close to 500 breadwinners will lose their jobs, and more than $50 million a year will be sucked out of the Greymouth economy, as Spring Creek Mine is moved into care and maintenance.

When children and wives are added in, more than 1000 people will be directly affected - coalminers, contractors and service industry staff.

Already reeling from the Pike River Mine disaster, Greymouth now stands to lose the $19.1 million the mine paid out annually in wages. The average miner's pay at Spring Creek was $82,000.

Pike River Coal Ltd was spending $70m annually before the mine blew up, and almost two years later, some local contractors are still owed $4.5m.

Spring Creek union delegate Trevor Bolderson said before Monday's announcement, the union had calculated that if 100 men lost their jobs the local economy would lose $26m.

In fact, 360 miners and contractors are out of work, pushing the figure well beyond $50m.

Mr Bolderson said they thought every job lost would result in a further 1.5 indirect job losses.

When asked what businesses would be impacted, other than engineering firms, he said: "Laundry, KiwiRail (rails coal), concrete company, pest control, cleaning contracts, chemical manufacturers for the Rocky Creek plant. It's endless. You sit down and think, and it just goes on and on.''

Union organiser Garth Elliott added to the list: "Restaurants, pubs, direct contractors.''

Businesses in Greymouth are already struggling with high rental increases and the prospect of expensive earthquake-proofing.

Peter O'Sullivan, from Minerals West Coast, said using economic group Berl's calculators, a total of 483 jobs would go on the Coast.

When the average household size on the Coast was added in, about 1100 people would be directly affected (assuming there was one breadwinner).

However, some workers would hopefully be moved over to developing the nearby Liverpool open-cast mine.

Cliff Sandrey, whose company used to drive the Pike River bus, said there had not even been time to recover from the Pike disaster. After that, many businesses had their work topped up by Solid Energy.

"That kept things going.''

The Star attempted to contact major contractors; some spoke off the record about plans to downscale, while others had already laid off staff.

McConnell Dowell managing director Roger McRae said his company employed close to 40 staff on the Coast - all at Spring Creek - and had been given notice its contract was being terminated.

With no other contracts on the Coast, that could mark the end of its presence there.

"For us it's deeply disappointing, a bitter blow.''

The company should be able to transfer some staff outside the region, he said.

West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'Connor said everyone "knew full well the extent this pain will extend''.

He was trying to arrange a brain-storming session with business and community leaders.

Mr Bolderson, who was travelling back from Wellington after failing to convince Cabinet ministers yesterday, said the final piece of the jigsaw had fallen into place.

After a 1000-strong street march in Greymouth, meetings with Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder and the trip to the Beehive, they were told yesterday by State-owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall that the company was "in debt to the tune of $330 million''.

"We had to go to the minister to find out what Solid Energy could have gone through (with us) on day one. It's staggering.''

Mr Bolderson said he understood the Government could not pay off debts of $330m.

He called for Dr Elder's job to go, and said former chairman John Palmer's recent departure was "rats deserting a sinking ship''.

Meanwhile, a letter from former Timberlands accountant Jacqui Low to the Prime Minister, analysing Solid Energy's finances based on public documents, has been released.

She said the 2011 annual report showed borrowings of $45m, including $20m to pay a dividend - "borrowing to pay the Government''.

The rise in unemployment would reduce the Government's tax take by $12m, she said.

Solid Energy today confirmed its debt as at June 30, was $295m. By August it was $335m, and was now $375m.

- APNZ
By Laura Mills of the Greymouth Star