The New Zealand government has announced a significant public inquiry into the handling of the Tom Phillips case, a father who vanished with his three children into a forest for years before being fatally shot by police.
Attorney General Judith Collins confirmed the investigation on Thursday 27 November 2025. The inquiry will be an independent, formal examination into whether government agencies took all practicable steps to protect the safety and welfare of the children.
The Disappearance and Grim Discovery
Tom Phillips disappeared in December 2021 from the small rural township of Marokopa on New Zealand's North Island. He took his three children, who were then aged just 5, 7, and 8 years old.
The family's ordeal came to a dramatic end in September of this year. After Phillips was involved in a robbery at a farming supplies store in Waitomo, a police officer attempted to stop him as he fled with one of his children. The officer was shot in the head at close range and critically injured, though he survived.
More officers arrived at the scene, and Phillips was fatally shot. The child with him was taken into custody and subsequently helped law enforcement locate the makeshift campsite where the other two children were waiting. Officials reported finding a cache of belongings at the site, which included guns.
Scrutiny on Official Actions
The newly established inquiry, led by high-profile lawyer and former High Court judge Simon Moore, will scrutinise the actions of authorities both before and after the family's disappearance.
According to a government document, the children had been subject to Family Court proceedings about their care since 2018. The inquiry will determine if officials did enough to prevent the children's initial disappearance.
Public outrage has been fuelled by the fact that Phillips had previously vanished with the children for three weeks in September 2021, triggering a massive search. He reappeared then, claiming they had been camping, and was due to face charges for wasting police resources when he disappeared again in December.
Throughout the three-and-a-half-year period, there were multiple sightings of Phillips, who committed robberies while in hiding. This has provoked serious questions about the scale and effectiveness of the police search efforts.
Secrecy and National Gripping
The case has captivated New Zealand and drawn international headlines. The current whereabouts of the children remain undisclosed to protect their privacy, and judicial orders have restricted media reporting on certain details, a move some news outlets are challenging in court.
This secrecy, combined with the prolonged nature of the disappearance and the violent end, produced growing calls for a transparent investigation. The inquiry is due to deliver its final report by July 2026.
