Between Two Beers Podcast : YouTube 46min Time stamps below.
When Whakaari / White Island erupted in December 2019, helicopter pilot Mark Law flew straight at it – no clearance, no backup – and helped carry survivors to safety.
He was later awarded the New Zealand Bravery Star for his actions that day.
Then, Mark says, his company was prosecuted – over matters that had nothing to do with the rescue. A bravery medal and a prosecution, for the same event. In this episode he tells the whole story: the day of the eruption, the decisions he made, the fallout for his business, and why he stands by every call.
For context, the concerns Mark refers to were subsequently reported by Stuff in 2024, based on a sworn affidavit from former WorkSafe investigator Paul Patterson. Patterson said his original 53-page report had been substantially altered, that positive material had been removed, and that he believed the investigation outcome had been pre-determined. WorkSafe disputed Patterson’s characterisation and said investigator reports are subject to management and legal review, with the ultimate decision to prosecute made by senior delegated staff rather than the individual investigator.
This episode contains discussion of the Whakaari / White Island tragedy and may be distressing for some viewers.
0:00 White Island erupts: 22 dead, rescuers stood down
1:44 Landing at the crater
4:39 “The machines aren’t coming. You’re it.”
8:16 When the island erupts a second time
11:00 Why the rescue services turned back
16:14 The aftermath: the business gone overnight
21:21 Inside a WorkSafe case with a predetermined outcome
31:35 The verdict — and the discount that says it all
35:22 Fined and decorated for the same day
43:33 What Mark hopes people take from it
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