Progress on Pike River Implementation Plan

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Labour and Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges today released an update on the Pike River Implementation Plan.

The plan lays out the actions the Government is taking to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

“The Government has made a commitment to the families of the victims of Pike River to ensure we follow through on every recommendation of the Royal Commission.

“We are making good progress to deliver on that commitment and the Government is aiming to have all recommendations in place by the end of the year,” Mr Joyce says.

Mr Bridges says the Government was pushing full steam ahead to achieve this goal.

“We have multiple processes underway and will see more results from these in the coming months,” Mr Bridges says.

Since the release of the Pike River Implementation Plan in December, the Government has:

• Announced a new stand-alone Crown agent focussed on workplace health and safety. The entity is expected to be in place by December, with legislation before Parliament in June.
• Passed the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill. The Bill introduces an initial assessment of permit applicants’ health and safety and environmental management capability.
• Established an Expert Reference Group of international and New Zealand mining/regulatory experts, emergency management experts, industry and employee participants. The Group advises the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to help it establish a new mining regulatory framework that meets international best practice. Since the initial Implementation Plan was prepared, the Ministry has made further appointments to the Expert Reference Group: Graham Sunderland, an expert in emergency management and response, and Steve Dohnt, who has wide experience in the New Zealand quarrying sector.
• Begun the drafting of guidance material for directors on how good governance practices can manage health and safety risks.

The implementation plan is available at:
www.mbie.govt.nz/what-we-do/pike-river-implementation-plan/pike-river-implementation-plan