The New Zealand government has announced a public inquiry into the handling of the disappearance of fugitive father Tom Phillips and his three children, who evaded authorities for nearly four years. The inquiry will examine whether government agencies took all practicable steps to protect the children's safety and welfare.
Phillips disappeared with his children into the rugged North Island wilderness just before Christmas in 2021, following a dispute with their mother. He did not have legal custody. In August, he was killed in an exchange of fire with police after a reported burglary in the remote town of Piopio. A police officer was shot and required surgery. Two children were found at a campsite later that day; the third was with Phillips at the time of the shooting. They are now in the care of child protection agency Oranga Tamariki.
Attorney General Judith Collins said on Thursday that the decision to hold a public inquiry was due to significant public interest and concern for the children's welfare. The inquiry will investigate agencies' engagement with Phillips before and after he disappeared, and assess whether steps could be taken to prevent or resolve similar situations more effectively in future.
Justice Simon Moore KC has been appointed as the sole member of the inquiry, which will be conducted in private to ensure the children's safety. A report is due by July 2026.
The vast Waikato region where Phillips hid features coastline, forested terrain, farmland, and limestone cave networks, frustrating police searches and prompting multiple searches, rewards, and pleas for information. Police believe he received outside help, and inquiries into those who aided him are ongoing.
