Oranga Tamariki repeatedly dismissed concerns about Tom Phillips' children - before he fled for a second time into the Marokopa bushland.

A four-year police hunt for them ended when Phillips was shot dead last year. 

An inquiry's laid bare numerous failures, including a lack of coordination between Oranga Tamariki and the police. 

Two months before Phillips took off the second time, the Ministry told the Family Court the children were fine in his care. 
 
Chief executive Amanda Malu says Oranga Tamariki didn't provide all the information it had - partly because the social worker was still compiling it.

LISTEN ABOVE

Oranga Tamariki repeatedly dismissed concerns about Tom Phillips' children - before he fled for a second time into the Marokopa bushland.
A four-year police hunt for them ended when Phillips was shot dead last year.&nbsp;
An inquiry's laid bare numerous failures, including a lack of coordination between Oranga Tamariki and the police.&nbsp;
Two months before Phillips took off the second time, the Ministry told the Family Court the children were fine in his care.&nbsp; &nbsp; Chief executive Amanda Malu says Oranga Tamariki didn't provide all the information it had - partly because the social worker was still compiling it.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Amanda Malu: Oranga Tamariki chief executive unpacks findings from Tom Phillips inquiry

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/53de90de-53e3-4380-bc7e-b4c6006e1701/transcript

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 15 September.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 15 September. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 15 September 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/29372ae9-51ea-4d60-af3c-b4c60076b3b6/transcript

The Local Government Minister says he makes no apology, after a recent spat with Auckland mayor Wayne Brown.

The Government announced it's moving to ban voting rights for non-elected members of council committees.

Brown's now threatened to pull out of the Auckland Deal, and sent a terse message to Simon Watts - telling him to 'butt out' of the council’s democratic processes.

Watts says democracy is non-negotiable.

"Elected representatives are accountable to their communities, and voting rights should reflect that." 

LISTEN ABOVE

The Local Government Minister says he makes no apology, after a recent spat with Auckland mayor Wayne Brown.
The Government announced it's moving to ban voting rights for non-elected members of council committees.
Brown's now threatened to pull out of the Auckland Deal, and sent a terse message to Simon Watts - telling him to 'butt out' of the council’s democratic processes.
Watts says democracy is non-negotiable.
"Elected representatives are accountable to their communities, and voting rights should reflect that."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Simon Watts: Local Government Minister stands by comments directed at Auckland mayor Wayne Brown

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3999dc66-c018-436f-80a1-b4c600753c3a/transcript

Police admit they acted too slowly, and minimised the harm Tom Phillips was causing his children as they hid out. 

An almost four-year hunt ended last year, when police killed Phillips in a shootout.

An inquiry's exposed numerous failures by police and Oranga Tamariki, and a lack of information sharing.

Police delayed following up on credible sightings - and overlooked repeated concerns over Phillip's mental health and alcohol use and access to weapons. 

The district's Deputy Police Commissioner, Jill Rogers, says police didn't fully understand how the isolation harmed the children.

"We were always of the belief that Tom Phillips was a man motivated not to hand the children over, and we have wrongly assumed that he wasn't a risk."

LISTEN ABOVE

Police admit they acted too slowly, and minimised the harm Tom Phillips was causing his children as they hid out.&nbsp;
An almost four-year hunt ended last year, when police killed Phillips in a shootout.
An inquiry's exposed numerous failures by police and Oranga Tamariki, and a lack of information sharing.
Police delayed following up on credible sightings - and overlooked repeated concerns over Phillip's mental health and alcohol use and access to weapons.&nbsp;
The district's Deputy Police Commissioner, Jill Rogers, says police didn't fully understand how the isolation harmed the children.
"We were always of the belief that Tom Phillips was a man motivated not to hand the children over, and we have wrongly assumed that he wasn't a risk."
LISTEN ABOVE

Jill Rogers: Deputy Police Commissioner on the findings of the Tom Phillips report

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1c556044-6822-45fd-b5ba-b4c60069a54e/transcript

Amanda Malu: Oranga Tamariki chief executive unpacks findings from Tom Phillips inquiry

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