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Experts, Government Agencies And Mine Representatives
Experts, Government Agencies And Mine Representatives To Appear Before Commission Hearings
Twelve witnesses including experts, representatives of Government departments, mining companies and a regional council will appear before the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy at public hearings commencing next week.
There are four phases to the Royal Commission inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy: Phase One – Context, Phase Two- Search and Rescue, Phase Three – What happened at Pike River and Phase Four – Policy Aspects.
The Commission hearings which will examine the Phase One – Context issues are scheduled to commence on Monday 11 July and run into the following week at the Greymouth District Court.
The contextual phase comprises
the New Zealand regulatory environment; the interaction of
mining law and other law in New Zealand; the resourcing and
implementation of mining law in New Zealand and the
geography, conception, approval, design and development of
the mine.
The hearings are only one
aspect of the inquiry process. To date the Commission has
been gathering evidence from a range of places and sources.
A considerable volume of material has been received already
in relation to the Phase One aspects.
The hearings provide an opportunity to clarify and test matters, and to fill in any gaps which exist in the information obtained by the Commission so far.
Phase One: Context
Hearing Timetable
Timing (NB timetabling may
change as hearings
progress) Witness/Appearance
Week One
Monday 11 July – 11.30am Counsel Assisting the
Commission (Opening Statement)
Dr Don Elder - CEO
Solid Energy NZ Ltd
Tuesday 12 July Dr Jane Newman -
Newman Energy Research
Harry Bell - Former Chief
Inspector of Coal mines
Wednesday 13 July Robin Hughes -
Former Chief Inspector of Coal Mines
Ministry of
Economic Development
(2 witnesses)
West Coast
Regional Council (1 witness)
Thursday 14 July Department
of Conservation (2 witnesses)
Friday 15 July Department
of Labour (2 witnesses)
Week Two
Monday 18
July Peter Whittall - CEO Pike River Coal Ltd (in
Recievership)
Members of the public are welcome at the hearings. Transcripts of each day’s hearings are expected to be available from http://pikeriver.royalcommission.govt.nz by 6.00pm on the day.
The hearings are also expected to be live streamed through TVNZ’s and TV3’s websites.
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