The Govt denies a $3.41 million payout to Pike River families was a "backroom deal" to ensure charges against Peter Whittall, were dropped.

Labour is calling for the Government to come clean over why charges against chief executive Peter Whittall were discharged, preventing others from taking legal action.

The Council of Trade Unions has started court action in a bid to bring former Pike River Mine manager Peter Whittall to trial.

Most Kiwis believe Pike River Coal's shareholders should pay court-ordered compensation for the families of miners killed in the company's mine, a Herald-DigiPoll survey suggests.

Former Pike River Coal boss Peter Whittall will not meet with the families of the 29 men who died in the 2010 disaster after receiving "inappropriate and derogatory" comments.

'That's the best we can do.' John Key says a trial against former Pike River boss would've been costly, and the compensation for families is a better outcome.

The offer of money made to the Pike River families by the mine's former boss doesn't look good, Prime Minister John Key says.

A lawyer who acts for the families of those killed in the Pike River Mine disaster says further prosecution against mine boss Peter Whittall is not realistic.

Judge Jane Farish was doubtless on the mark when she said yesterday that the likelihood of a prosecution of Peter Whittall was "extremely low" and the case may never have reached trial.

Stunned anger greeted today's dropping of all charges against former Pike River Coal boss Peter Whittall over the 2010 mine disaster.

A Pike River coal miner who turned to drugs after 29 of his mates were killed in the 2010 mining tragedy has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for drug dealing.

Ian Young, the manager of corporate services at Grey District Council, says donations to the Pike River Disaster Relief Trust came to $8,065,727.

Finance Minister Bill English said families in New Zealand that experienced tragedies would expect equal treatment from the Government.

At one time, John Key's political antenna would have ensured the families of the men killed in the Pike River mining tragedy received compensation.

Families of Pike River mine victims have been urged to continue pushing for the remains of their loved ones to be returned, three years after deadly blasts ripped through the mine.

Is David Cunliffe exploiting the Pike River tragedy for political purposes? Of course he is, writes John Armstrong.

On the third anniversary of the Pike River mining disaster, Labour leader David Cunliffe has promised a government led by him would compensate the victims' families.

A recording of the last contact with workers in the Pike River mine has been aired publicly for the first time this morning.

The third anniversary of the Pike River mining tragedy will be marked today with a minute's silence and the laying of a wreath.

By November 18, 2010, there was just enough progress at Pike to reassure some workers that the operation could yet be a success, but not enough to ease the dark fears held by others.

The Pike River coal mine should have been shut down well before the devastating explosion, says the author of a new book on the tragedy.