tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post5488277087326372344..comments2024-03-26T10:03:51.827+13:00Comments on Karl du Fresne: Why no royal commission on the Whakaari disaster?Karl du Fresnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-86787547977741171092022-12-12T09:51:47.070+13:002022-12-12T09:51:47.070+13:00New Zealand does not do self-examination unless it...New Zealand does not do self-examination unless it is forced to. Or unless there is some perceived political advantage accruing to whichever party is in power.<br /><br />The White Island disaster was probably in the category of “waiting to happen”. Just as was the Tangiwai rail disaster (1953). Both disasters were if you like matters of nature’s freakish timing.<br /><br />Over the years I have asked why have we not had more in depth, and more timely, enquiries into some of the major road accidents. All we seem to have is a Coroner’s enquiry which as a matter of course does not see the light of day until a couple of years later. Coroner’s recommendations might then seem to be too little too late.<br /><br />Marine accidents also seem to disappear off the radar. There is the recent case of the drownings off the Kaikoura coast. The boat on a bird-watching expedition capsized and five people drowned. It is thought the boat, in calm water at the time, was overturned by a whale. People onshore at the time claimed to have seen a whale in the vicinity. Meantime whale-watching excursions continue. <br /><br />Connect the dots if you can between White Island excursions and Kaikoura whale-watching.<br />Eamon Sloanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03551803651059076248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-84985134611065552862022-12-11T10:23:18.936+13:002022-12-11T10:23:18.936+13:00Andy Espersen
Volcanologists are presumably expert...Andy Espersen<br />Volcanologists are presumably experts in their field and also presumably on the public purse<br />It has been reported that they had banned their own staff from the island due to the elevated risk. It was in my opinion their duty as experts to warn the tour operator and relative authorities as you state Questions need to be asked <br />The ownership of the tour company may be a reason why not<br />Hikohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17655371667067421078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-77144377320728300222022-12-10T07:16:53.617+13:002022-12-10T07:16:53.617+13:00Yobi,
Where natural features such as mountains, la...Yobi,<br />Where natural features such as mountains, lakes, rivers and islands have a Maori name that predated European settlement, my inclination is to use those names. However that doesn't apply to cities and towns which are essentially European creations, so you won't find mention on this blog of Tamaki Makaurau, Otepoti or Kirikiriroa. Karl du Fresnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-21268991827923816552022-12-10T06:22:01.701+13:002022-12-10T06:22:01.701+13:00They should have a royal inquiry into the White Is...They should have a royal inquiry into the White Island disaster as well, White Island is a place all New Zealanders know and have heard of. Yobihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08512394300829282914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-34981959208429978142022-12-10T04:29:15.423+13:002022-12-10T04:29:15.423+13:00No Royal Commission is needed to "find out wh...No Royal Commission is needed to "find out what went wrong". That sure does not take an Einstein. The volcano had been set at alert level 2 - and, because of the danger, our volcanologists had ceased visiting the Island!!!<br /><br />Our volcanologists MUST have been aware that a tourist company was still taking tourists on daily visits right to the crater edge.<br /><br />Ought not the volcanologists have notified the authorities in Wellington of the obvious danger?? Andy Espersennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-71756547523225739472022-12-09T18:31:52.023+13:002022-12-09T18:31:52.023+13:00I don't agree.
There was no overt indication ...I don't agree.<br /><br />There was no overt indication that White Island was about to erupt like that.<br /><br />If you're going to have an inquiry into that, why not the sink hole that opened at the Maori Village in Rotorua recently, severely injuring at least one person? <br /><br />Or the people that fell into geothermal openings in Kuirau Park when I grew up in Rotorua? <br /><br />Or into their own bore holes in their back yard? <br /><br />Or the Mt Ruapehu eruption that sent a lahar down the mountain? The main reason that didn't injure anyone was the time of day it happened. <br /><br />Or the eruption that sent a massive rock through the roof of Kitetahi Hut? Again, blind luck no one was there.<br /><br />White Island was a tragedy. But the eruption was a natural event. rouppehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446734587426078093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-7893090926314328332022-12-09T16:51:50.133+13:002022-12-09T16:51:50.133+13:00If I recall correctly GNS had recently raised the...If I recall correctly GNS had recently raised the alert level and had stopped its own people from going to the island. While the tour company was run by Maori interests and the island was in private ownership, did the government have a responsibility to ensure those wanting to visit the island were aware of the heightened risk of an eruption?<br />Trev1https://www.blogger.com/profile/00271717267778957672noreply@blogger.com