Police claim 'public interest' in keeping Pike River risk assessment a secret

Wednesday, 5 June 2019

The Pike River re-entry crew steps into the mine drift. (Video first published on May 21, 2019)

Police have refused to release the independent risk assessment on whether their staff should have been among the first to reenter the West Coast's Pike River mine.

Police used the assessment to decide whether to send their own staff into the drift of the mine where 29 men died in a series of explosions in November 2010.

In February, they said the safest option was to wait for the drift to be 'fully recovered' before any police staff went in.

Police has refused to release the risk assessment they used to make a decision on whether police staff would re-enter the Pike River mine drift.

They would consider entering earlier if there was a 'critical' find, such as human remains and evidence, but would only do so after another risk assessment.

**READ MORE:

The Pike River mine was reentered for the first time on May 21, 2019, after an explosion in November 2010 killed 29 men.

* Pike River re-entry: Police will not be among first into mine drift

* Miners trained in forensic work ahead of planned Pike River mine re-entry

The Pike River Recovery Agency says openness and transparency is important for the families of the men killed in the mine and for the public.

* Pike River re-entry: Police won't be among first inside mine after risk assessment raised safety concerns**

The Pike River Recovery Agency began recovering the mine drift, or access tunnel, on May 21 after extensive risk assessments, which it has published on its website. The agency invited the public and media to some of its risk assessment workshops, but police wanted to keep their risk assessment secret.

Acting Superintendent David Greig said releasing the report could prevent experts from offering 'free and frank' opinions in future.

'It is in the public interest that such information should continue to be supplied.'

Stuff was also refused a request to visit the police operations room at the Pike River mine site, and an interview with police on site.

Pike River Recovery Agency chief executive Dave Gawn said the agency aimed to be open and transparent, 'which helps to provide a measure of confidence and trust in what we are doing, how we are doing it, and that the plan and execution will be safe'.

'That's important for the families and the wider public,' he said.

Police still planned to complete a full forensic examination once the drift was fully recovered.

Superintendent Tusha Penny previously said miners employed by the Pike River Recovery Agency were the best people to enter the drift first. The scene examination was important, but safety took precedence, she said.

Police decided in 2013 to leave the criminal investigation open until the scene could be examined. Any new evidence found would be used to determine whether charges could be laid.

Penny said miners had received 'a comprehensive 101 in forensic requirements', including exhibit management, forensic imaging and disaster victim identification.

Agency chief operating officer Dinghy Pattinson said the re-entry was progressing.

Staff were meeting this week with international experts, WorkSafe and police to confirm a ventilation plan for going beyond the 170-metre seal.

The doors there had been closed and would soon be sprayed with concrete so work could begin to remove the 30m seal.

The process was expected to take another six to eight weeks, Pattinson said.