Charges should have been laid more widely throughout the management of the company to ensure justice is properly carried out, CFMEU Queensland district president Stephen Smyth told ILN.

“With the Peter Whittall matter it pleasing to see in light of such a tragic event that those who should have been accountable at the mine for the workers’ safety will get held to account,” he said.

“This should also serve as a reminder to all companies and CEOs that they are directly responsible for all workers who are employed by them in coal mines. They should never forget the most important resource in that mine is their workers.”

Questions should also be asked of those people in the management structure who were responsible on a daily basis at the mine about how they continued to let the mine operate as a “disaster waiting to happen and did nothing to either stop it or make it safe”, he said.

“There are others who also should have been considered to be charged in my view as well,” he said.

“All I can hope for is that justice is served to those who allowed this to happen.

“Obviously this is of little comfort to the families and friends of the 29 men and boys who lost their lives in an explosion which should never have occurred in my view.”

Whittall said he would “vigorously defend” the charges laid against him in relation to the Pike River mine disaster after the New Zealand Department of Labour confirmed he would be prosecuted for the explosion.

Whittall is among three parties charged over the disaster, with charges also filed against Pike River Coal and VLI Drilling.

Whittall has been charged with eight offences of acquiescing or participating in the failures of Pike River Coal as an employer and as a principal.

He has also been charged with four offences of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure no action or inaction of his as an employee harmed another person.

The charges were laid at the Greymouth District Court and each carries a maximum penalty of $NZ250,000.