The more I read about this the more shocked I am.
The families of the trapped miners were shown footage that was edited to show the initial explosion lasting for 32 seconds instead of the reality, which was was 52 seconds.
This is beginning to look like the whole thing was being media managed from very near the start of the disaster. It would explain why there was a delay in showing the families the footage of the explosion.
Richard Valli (brother of Keith Valli who died in the mine) said that he found the Pike River memorial service “hurtful” because of the focus placed on the politicians and dignitaries, instead of the Pike families. You may remember that the memorial service was originally planned to be held in Christchurch, presumably because the politicians would find that more convenient than Greymouth.
g.blog 
Apparently Solid Energy have just got the go-ahead to start mining the Denniston Plateau, up near Happy Valley. Stripping the soil and all plants off to get at the coal underneath that couldn’t be reached through the mine workings.
Absolutely callous destruction of the last vestiges of natural beauty in that area, and in a site where miners’ bodies were left after cave-ins during the 19th and early 20th C mining at Stockton & Denniston.
The West Coast has too many memorials to brave miners who died due to bad decisions by mine managers and owners. No wonder you meet so many ex-Coasters everywhere else in the country.
i can’t believe that solid energy, can get away with the deaths of so many if any. it appears that business is paramount over the value of life at present in new zealand.