Labour Party leader Phil Goff said today it had taken all the strength, resilience and courage of the West Coast community to come through the uncertainty, pain, grief and sense of loss over the 29 men who died in the Pike River mine tragedy.
Mr Goff, who attended the remembrance service for the men, said in a statement all New Zealanders were united in their sense of loss.
"Our priorities must be to do anything that can be done to recover the men, to understand what caused the explosion and to take every action necessary to prevent the recurrence of this tragedy and ensure that people can continue to earn their livelihoods safely in this industry on the West Coast," he said.
"We offer our support, sympathy, love and prayers to those who lost loved ones -- husbands, partners, sons and brothers who never returned from the mine on that fateful day."
