A lawyer representing some Whakaari eruption victims is furious the tourism companies being prosecuted over the tragedy have received hundreds of thousands of dollars of public money.
The 2019 explosion killed twenty-two people and critically injured at least a dozen others.
White Island Tours, Volcanic Air and Kahu NZ were given almost 90 per cent of an eruption recovery fund worth more than one and a half million dollars.
Lawyer Rita Yousef says it's unacceptable when her clients who've suffered so much have had to rely on ACC payments.
She is representing some of the Australian families taking legal action against the Royal Caribbean cruise line who sold passengers tickets to island volcano.
She spoke to reporter Sam Olley.
