The wife of a Kiwi hit-and-run victim is criticising Australian authorities as she travels to Newcastle to identify her husband's body.
Ian Pullen was working in New South Wales as a firefighting pilot when he was struck and killed.
He didn't have insurance and his widow Vicki Pullen says she may have to cremate the body because of the $25,000 cost to fly him home.
"They're happy enough to fly our Kiwi criminals home, they're not happy enough to fly our heroes home," Ms Pullen said of the Australian Government.
"There's a claim going through so hopefully they might come to the party with that, but we won't know more until we get over there."
Ms Pullen's taking the ashes of her eldest daughter, who died as an infant, with her.
She's hoping a Givealittle campaign will raise enough to bring her husband back home.
Mr Pullen was in New South Wales to fight bushfires in the Hunter Valley and was off duty when he was mowed down crossing the road in the early hours of Saturday.
Ms Pullen called the person responsible: "A coward, they're gutless."
Mr Pullen's job as a firefighting pilot was dangerous and unpredictable.
Helicopter pilot Ian Pullen was mown down crossing the road while in New South Wales to fight bushfires. (Source: Other)
But he loved the work, even though it took him away from Taumarunui to a small town in New South Wales.
"He was there to keep Singleton safe in case a bushfire broke out, and just save people's lives and their houses," his widow said.
Mr Pullen's friend, Phil Janssen, says the 44-year-old had survived narrow scrapes, including one in a helicopter that burnt in a forest while Ian was flying it.
"So he dodged a bullet there. That was last year and so he went back to Aussie fighting fires."
Inspector Post said police have asked anyone who might have dashcam footage from driving in the area in the early hours of Saturday to come forward, because that may provide further information.
And on what should have been her 24th wedding anniversary Vicki Pullen made an appeal to the driver and witnesses.
"Come forward, admit what you've done. Somebody knows something," she said.
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