What makes the Gloriavale children different to the Phillips children?
Opinion piece: Dennis Gates
(Thoughts, opinions and views expressed here belong to Dennis Gates)
Why is the Government being so inconsistent when it comes to dealing with slavery and sexual abuse at Gloriavale?
That’s a question being asked by lawyer, Dennis Gates, after the Attorney General Judith Collins, today announced a public inquiry would be launched, related to the Tom Phillips case.
In a statement Ms Collins said the inquiry would look into whether government agencies took all practicable steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the Phillips three children.
Mr Gates says he and others have for several years, been calling on the government to do the same for the children of Gloriavale.
“It is pleasing to see the governments concern for the three Phillips’ children, and I applaud this move,” says Gates. “However, I am struggling to understand why three young children left in their fathers’ care for four years, is different to, or more important than, 300 children who have been left in the care of known sexual offenders over a period of 50 years.”
Gates says he believes government agencies have not taken all practicable steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the 300 Gloriavale children?
“Concerns regarding sexual abuse at Gloriavale have been raised with authorities many times, as well as slavery concerns, and yet the West Coast community continues to operate. Currently there’s a group of ten government ministers “overseeing” Gloriavale, but what’s needed is one minister with the power to be the champion of the children of Gloriavale, and so far for 50 years there’s been no-one,” he says.
Minister of Social Development, Louise Upston, heads the group of ten ministers. Gates says she is well aware of what is going on inside Gloriavale.
“I met with one of her staff in early 2024 and provided detailed information including the fact that the Gloriavale child welfare policy was signed off by Howard Temple. Remember him? He was recently convicted of sexual offending against girls and women.”
Temple became head of the community after the founder Hopeful Christian died in 2018. Christian was convicted and jailed for cruel and bizarre sexual offending against girls and young women at Gloriavale.
“And that community, which is a sex cult in my opinion, has been allowed to continue operating. Where is the accountability? It is mindboggling,” Dennis Gates says.
In another recent case, Dennis Gates says once again, double standards abound.
Last week an Auckland man was found guilty in a slavery case, which saw him put two people to work, restricting their movements and communication, and controlling their money, paying them little for their work. It was also reported that he threatened both with deportation if they spoke out.
“People at Gloriavale are essentially slaves,” he says. “The cult leaders restrict their movements and communication, they control their money, and as we know from residents, they are threatened with eternal damnation if they try to leave – a very serious kind of deportation,” says Gates.
He adds “Ms Collins says, the decision to establish a public inquiry into the Phillip’s case reflects the significant public interest and concern for the children’s welfare over the almost four years they were missing, then I challenge the Government to explain how this rationale cannot also be applied to the children of Gloriavale?”
You can read a Herald article by Michael Morrah on this issue here.