Gloriavale farm lawyer apologises for ‘inadvertently misleading’ Judge at Westland Dairy injunction hearing

By Jake Kenny | Stuff |

A Gloriavale lawyer has apologised for telling a High Court no children worked on farms at the Christian community since 2017, after further evidence came to light.

The community sought a High Court injunction forcing Westland Dairy Company to continue collecting milk from its three farms, saying the farms are not in breach of employment law.

The legal action comes after Westland Dairy Company announced it would cease taking Gloriavale milk from June 13, following an Employment Court ruling that several of Gloriavale’s businesses used child labour and treated workers as volunteers when they were employees entitled to be paid minimum wage.

Gloriavale’s Canaan Farming Dairy Ltd first sought the injunction against Westland Dairy Company at a hearing in front of Justice Jan-Marie Doogue in the High Court at Christchurch in July. A second hearing was held on Wednesday for further evidence and clarification to be submitted.

Further reading: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/130015397/gloriavale-farm-lawyer-apologises-for-inadvertently-misleading-judge-at-westland-dairy-injunction-hearing