It's hard to know really where to start when it comes to listing the failings of all those who damn near destroyed the lives of the Phillips children. In the first instance, they were failed by their father and by their immediate family. Then, when those relationships broke down, they were failed by the very agencies that are supposed to be there to protect them, Oranga Tamariki and the Police. How agencies that are supposed to be acting in the interests of the children could think it was a good idea for them to be kept in the custody of a man who had staged their deaths, was an abusive alcoholic, and was motivated to keep the children away from their mother to spite her is beyond me.  

Police were concerned enough about his mental stability to deny him a firearms license or revoke it, yet they never passed on their specific concerns to Oranga Tamariki, not in detail. Still, OT really didn't need to have the police reports, one would have thought, when you look at all the other information they had. The children's older sisters had real and genuine concerns about the children's wellbeing. One rang the local office dealing with the children frequently, another swore an affidavit detailing controlling and abusive experiences with Phillips, yet the social workers didn't read it, fobbed off the one who phoned, didn't listen, insisted the kids were absolutely fine. How could you draw that conclusion?  

The inquiry has found that OT should not have closed the report of concern in February 2022, having done so in the face of compelling concerns raised by the children's older sisters as to the risk and harm to the children of being isolated from family and society. The children's four years of living with an alcoholic father in squalid isolation only ended when Phillips shot at and nearly killed a police officer who's had life changing injuries as a result of Phillips shooting at him. Police returned fire and Phillips died on a country road in front of his daughter. He was responsible for the trauma that that young girl experienced. He's ultimately responsible for all of what has happened to his children. But the state agencies that are there to step in when parents fail, failed too. Jill Rogers, the Deputy Police Commissioner, talking to Mike Hosking this morning, said ultimately police achieved what they set out to do. 

JR: We achieved what we set out to do. Did it take us a long time? Did we miss opportunities? Yes and yes, but at the end of the day we recovered the kids. 

MH: So if we're looking for blame and apologies, OT carry more of it than you do, fair? 

JR: The report identifies lessons for all of us in there, so and clearly that information sharing one is one that does stand out and we'll continue to work hard to make sure that we get the right information to the right people. 

Do you know the last time we had something like this was after the death, the murder of Malachi Subecz, murdered by his caregiver. That was only four years ago and one of the major findings was that government agencies needed to work together and centre children's voices. Four years ago. I have listened to government ministers and heads of department and police officers speak and they acknowledge the findings of this report, they've acknowledged the findings of previous reports, blah blah blah. Everyone's sorry. Everyone's very sorry. OT are sorry, Police are sorry. I'm sure the people that lionised Tom Phillips are very sorry now they know the despicable nature of the man. But I have absolutely no doubt that for all the reports, all the regrets, all the sorrow, all the determination to ensure this will never happen again, it will.