Inquiry finds missed chances by police and Oranga Tamariki to find the Phillips children

# What happened

Tom Phillips disappeared with his three children on more than one occasion. After an initial disappearance that made national headlines, he and the children briefly reappeared and he gave a statement saying the trip had been an impromptu camping outing. Less than three months later he took them again. The children spent 1,358 days living in the bush. The situation ended in September 2025 when Phillips died after a shootout with police following a reported burglary.

# What the inquiry looked at

The Government commissioned a public inquiry to examine whether police, Oranga Tamariki and other agencies took all practicable steps to protect the children and to locate them once they were missing. Honourable Justice Simon Moore KC led the inquiry and released a final report that reviews the agencies' handling of the case, their information-sharing and whether opportunities to find the children were missed.

# Main findings

• While there were moments of effective interagency work, the inquiry says a more consistent and collaborative approach could have prevented the disappearance or brought the children back sooner.

• Police ran Operation Marokopa after the first 2021 report of the children missing. The operation produced an extensive profile of Phillips through interviews and property searches. That profile included documented concerns about his mental health, alcohol use and conspiracy views.

• The inquiry found Phillips' explanation for the first disappearance — that it was a spontaneous camping trip and not intended to avoid court — "sits uncomfortably with the known facts" and is judged implausible.

# What evidence did police gather?

During Operation Marokopa, police interviewed family and friends and searched properties connected to Phillips and the children. They recorded accounts describing Phillips as having significant mental health issues, alcohol problems, and a distrust of government agencies. People who knew him expressed worry he might turn violent if cornered. The report notes he knew the Marokopa area well and used it as one of his campsites.

# Consequences the report identifies

The inquiry links failures to act on family concerns and inconsistent agency coordination with missed opportunities to find the children earlier. It also highlights the limits of the agencies' responses at key moments, including follow-up on sightings and sustained information-sharing that could have focused search efforts more effectively.

# What the report says about intent and risk

# Immediate context and aftermath

The children's time in the bush lasted almost four years, ending after an unrelated police response to a burglary that led to a fatal confrontation. The Government called the inquiry after Phillips' death to determine if agencies had done all they could to protect the children and locate them.

# Why this matters

The report points to gaps in how family warnings were treated and in how agencies coordinated. It indicates those gaps had real consequences for the children's safety and for the ability of authorities to find them sooner.