The new Public Service Commission Model Standards that are being released today represent a watershed in how the rules are set for the whole Public Service, say Pike River Families.

The Standards - “Working with Survivors” have been co-authored by Pike River Families in consultation with family members and survivors from other major tragedies including Aramoana March 15, Cave Creek, CTV, and Whakaari, and lay out the expectations for ministries and agencies in their interactions with survivors of disasters.

Pike River widow, Anna Osborne says she and other Pike family members initiated these standards because they saw the same mistakes being made over and over. “When the government responds to a tragedy they can make it better or worse for the survivors left behind. Too often with Pike families and survivors of other tragedies the way we were treated made things worse.

“That’s why we approached Peter Hughes about putting that right and the results are now here. Rules written by past survivors for future survivors.”

Sonya Rockhouse says that the way the Standards were written reflects the change she wants to see in the public service. “Too often when people suffer a catastrophe the way they are dealt with by government agencies just disempowers them more. One of the big things in these standards is that agencies need to work with survivors rather than just doing what they think is best for them.

“The team at the commission worked with us in partnership and that’s been incredibly empowering and has delivered standards that are grounded in real experience, in the lessons from our loss and our tears.”

Rowdy Durbridge lost his boy, Dan, in the Pike River explosion. He says he is pleased that some good for others has come from Pike River. “Making sure others in the future have it better than we did, that’s as good a way of remembering Dan and the rest of the boys as I can think of.”

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