Throughout my time being active in politics, people have discussed the rise of Neo-Liberalism and the free market that occurred throughout much of the world from the late 1970s onwards. Yet few seem to really understand the reasons for this significant shift in economic policy at that time, which continues to shape our society today.
What is Covid-19 telling us about our response as a nation?
Re-entry to the Pike River mine has been delayed so that a high oxygen reading from within the mine can be understood.
The Pike River families have released an internal police document describing the handling of evidence from the crime scene as diabolical.
It has been alleged that a potentially vital piece of evidence in the Pike River mine fatality that may show the cause of the explosion may have gone missing.
Stacy Kirk has made the outlandish claim that Andrew Little is prepared to risk someone’s life in his desire to have the Pike River mine properly investigated.
Just over one month in the new Labour led Government and it is time to measure progress.
Helen Kelly blogged four years ago why the deal that allowed Peter Whittall to walk free following the Pike River disaster was unjust and flawed. Yesterday the Supreme Court agreed.
National is trying to spin that Labour has adopted its position on re-entry of the Pike River mine. But the Pike River families are having nothing of this.
Among the biggest winners of the election will be the Pike River families. Labour and Greens support re-entry. Gower on National: “They will not go into Opposition over this… They will literally go back on everything they’ve said in order to get Winston into power.”
Most major political parties apart have agreed to a commitment which would set up a government agency to take over Pike River Mine and reclaim the miners’ bodies. Naturally the exception is National – isolated on this issue prior to the election….
David Seymour has managed to make the most stupid statement by a politician this year, and it is only just over half way through.
A Newshub article where Nick Smith contradicts the Police and Solid Energy about the existence of video showing a body in Pike River has disappeared …
Tonight Newshub had new footage from deep inside Pike River mine. It showed no fire damage.
The Pike River families call Bill English a liar.
Bill English claims to have been unaware of the video footage, but the night before Nick Smith’s spokesperson said the government had been “advised”. It would have been extraordinary if they had not. Pike River families deserve the truth.
TV3 has released video confirming that the atmosphere in the Pike River Mine was inert and raising major doubts about the claim that the mine was too unsafe to extract the bodies or to investigate the causes.
An excellent piece by Pike River mum, Sonya Rockhouse, in today’s Sunday Star-Times. The full article is here, but here are some of the most important points…
Any sign of progress is welcome, but let’s hope English is not deliberately stringing along the Pike River families with false hope.
Solid Energy trucks have refused to cross the picket line at Pike River this morning after the families set up effigies of their dead men.
I want justice for the families of the worst workplace tragedy in decades. If New Zealanders choose to change the Government this year, Pike will be a priority in my first hundred days as Prime Minister.
The Pike River families have presented expert reports at Parliament today to establish the mine is safe to re-enter.
Newshub has revealed the attempt to seal Pike River mine is now facing both legal, and physical, roadblocks.
Heartbreaking stories from the picket line down at the West Coast.
An engineer’s report concluded it would be safe to enter the mine to look for evidence of the cause the blasts which killed 29 men.
On Checkpoint Nigel Hampton QC described the Pike River mine as a ‘crime scene’ and a ‘homicide scene’, and he questioned the motives of those rushing to seal the mine.
For six years the families of the men who died at Pike River have not had clear answers about what happened. From the Pike River Royal Commission, they got some answers. From the government, nothing but lies.
Six years ago this morning, 31 men went to work in a coal mine. 29 of them still lay there.
Damien O’Connor and Denise Roche have taken it to Nick Smith in the House today over the government’s plan to seal Pike River mine forever.
“Now six years later, the Government is moving to seal the mine. They are literally putting hundreds of tonnes of concrete between us and our boys. Between the whole world and whatever evidence of what happened is down there.”
What exactly happened at Pike River? The families of the 29 men who died don’t know, and as Solid Energy moves to seal the mine forever, they demand justice.
The Pike River families have decided to take a stand and are occupying the road to the mine to ensure it cannot be closed, sealing up the evidence of what happened and the bodies of their loved ones forever.
The Pike River families will be protesting tomorrow to get their men out of the mine that killed them.
Helen Kelly, NZ’s most prominent trade unionist, has died. A battler to the very end, Helen will be greatly missed.
The fifth anniversary of the Pike River disaster has just occurred. This post records some comments made by Andrew Little on his recollection of the day after.
Apparently worm farms and mini golf ranges are dangerous places. And worm farmers playing mini golf are in grave peril.
