Pike River families say it's 'heartbreaking' Solid Energy has known for nearly a year the main entrance to the mine has been safe to enter.

It started well enough, but John Key left Greymouth with a heartfelt plea from the widow of one of the 29 dead Pike River miners ringing in his ears.

Prime Minister John Key stopped to talk to the Pike River families at a silent protest today.

Former Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall has returned home permanently to Australia.

Many Pike River Mine witnesses who refused to appear at the aborted Peter Whittall trial into his role in the disaster that claimed 29 lives, have now refused to allow their names to be released.

The Govt denies a $3.41 million payout to Pike River families was a "backroom deal" to ensure charges against Peter Whittall, were dropped.

Labour is calling for the Government to come clean over why charges against chief executive Peter Whittall were discharged, preventing others from taking legal action.

Most Kiwis believe Pike River Coal's shareholders should pay court-ordered compensation for the families of miners killed in the company's mine, a Herald-DigiPoll survey suggests.

Former Pike River Coal boss Peter Whittall will not meet with the families of the 29 men who died in the 2010 disaster after receiving "inappropriate and derogatory" comments.

'That's the best we can do.' John Key says a trial against former Pike River boss would've been costly, and the compensation for families is a better outcome.

The man who successfully brought a private prosecution against ACT leader John Banks has vowed to take the former Pike River Coal boss to court.

The offer of money made to the Pike River families by the mine's former boss doesn't look good, Prime Minister John Key says.

Judge Jane Farish was doubtless on the mark when she said yesterday that the likelihood of a prosecution of Peter Whittall was "extremely low" and the case may never have reached trial.

Stunned anger greeted today's dropping of all charges against former Pike River Coal boss Peter Whittall over the 2010 mine disaster.

A Pike River coal miner who turned to drugs after 29 of his mates were killed in the 2010 mining tragedy has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for drug dealing.

Ian Young, the manager of corporate services at Grey District Council, says donations to the Pike River Disaster Relief Trust came to $8,065,727.

David Cunliffe has seized the moral high ground from the PM by offering to pay compensation to the Pike River families, John Armstrong says.

The Pike River disaster was a "national disaster" that exposed shocking negligence by the Labour Department and the Pike River company. The Govt should pay the $3.41m to the families, says Fran O'Sullivan.

At one time, John Key's political antenna would have ensured the families of the men killed in the Pike River mining tragedy received compensation.

Finance Minister Bill English said families in New Zealand that experienced tragedies would expect equal treatment from the Government.

Families of Pike River mine victims have been urged to continue pushing for the remains of their loved ones to be returned, three years after deadly blasts ripped through the mine.