BY DANIELLE RIES
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Gretley Mine Disaster, where four Hunter men tragically lost their lives.
On the 14th of November 1996, Edward Batterham, Mark Kaiser, John Hunter and Damon Murray were digging around an old flooded mine, which caused a sudden inrush of water and swept the four men away to their deaths.
The men were engulfed by water when a machine weighing 50 tonnes was swept some 17.5 metres back down the heading and jammed into the sides, trapping them.
Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery says,
"It was a terrible shock to the Wallsend community and the Hunter community,"
"I want to pay tribute to the gentlemen and their families and say that this is remembered with a mark of respect for all of them," she said.
Ms. Horney will be delivering a Notice of Motion in Parliament tomorrow in regards to this incident and the safety of miners.
"Tomorrow I will be giving a Notice of Motion marking this date in memorial and of course encouraging and urging the government to make mine safety a priority in New South Wales."
Changes to safety of the mines is ongoing to ensure that all workers return home safety at the end of the day.
