14 May 2012

PM happy to meet again with Pike River families

6:49 pm on 14 May 2012

Prime Minister John Key says he would be happy to meet again with the families of the men who died at Pike River.

Some families are upset with the terms of Solid Energy's deal to buy the mine, which they say waters down earlier pledges to recover the bodies.

Mr Key says he has huge sympathy for the families but the Government's position remains the same - that it will do all it can to help retrieve the bodies, so long as it is feasible to do so.

He says the Government made it clear to Solid Energy it is ready to provide resources, if there is a credible plan.

Mr Key says a number of potential buyers walked away from buying the mine because of the requirement to be prepared to retrieve the bodies.