Articles Archives – Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust

Devotion: The Gloriavale Story – is it worth the watch?

July 4, 2026: | NewstalkZB | Karl Puschmann | A new three-part series by Dame Julie Christie. Our cameras exclusively enter the world of the controversial religious community of Gloriavale. Bound by a strict obedience to the Bible, the community is under siege as accusations of rampant abuse threaten their right to religious freedom (Three…

Articles, Gloriavale Film/Docuseries

Sins of the father: Gloriavale leavers react to Julie Christie’s new documentary

July 1, 2026: | RNZ | Jean Edwards | Gideon Benjamin watched a Gloriavale leader’s on-camera admission about a failure to protect the Christian commune’s children. Anger rose inside him. When Gideon Benjamin watched a Gloriavale leader’s on-camera admission about a failure to protect the Christian commune’s children from offending by his father,…

Articles, Gloriavale Film/Docuseries

Former Gloriavale member says new documentary misrepresents community

July 1, 2026: | NZ Herald | Mitchell Hageman | At 19, Dan Nicholson and his family left the controversial religious community and never looked back. He tells Mitchell Hageman his story, and what he believesDame Julie Christie’s new documentary got wrong. A former Gloriavale member believes a new documentary was unnecessary and…

Articles, Audio, Gloriavale Film/Docuseries

Former members challenge portrayal in Gloriavale series

July 1, 2026: | RNZ | Morning Report | Tension between the experiences of Gloriavale members and people who have left the Christian community have been exposed in a new documentary produced by Dame Julie Christie. Jean Edwards reports.…

Articles, Education

Children’s Minister defends handling of Gloriavale child safety concerns

June 30, 2026: | RNZ | Action to address child safety concerns at Gloriavale Christian community was already underway when the Education Review Office formally raised them in writing, the Minister for Children says. Documents released to RNZ under the Official Information Act show the then-acting Education Review Office (ERO) chief executive Ruth…

Articles, Audio, Gloriavale Film/Docuseries

Gloriavale advocate questions agency coordination

June 30, 2026: | RNZ | Morning Report | An advocate for those leaving Gloriavale is worried the government agencies overseeing the isolated community aren’t working together. Liz Gregory from the Gloriavale Leavers’ Trust spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.…

Articles, Education

Oranga Tamariki takes months to respond to Gloriavale child safety concerns

June 30, 2026: | RNZ | Jean Edwards | Oranga Tamariki took months to respond to an Education Review Office letter raising “serious and immediate concerns” about children at Gloriavale after it was sent to a former staff member whose inbox was no longer monitored. The then-acting Education Review Office (ERO) chief executive…

Articles, Audio, Education

Questions over Oranga Tamariki response to Gloriavale

June 30, 2026: | RNZ | Morning Report | Oranga Tamariki took months to respond to an Education Review Office letter raising serious and immediate concerns about children at Gloriavale. Reporter Jean Edwards spoke to John Campbell.…

Articles, Audio, Gloriavale Film/Docuseries

‘Same old stuff’: Gloriavale leaver raises concerns with new doco series

June 29, 2026: | Newstalk ZB |Heather du Plessis-Allan | A Gloriavale leaver says he doesn’t think a new documentary is neutral, and is borderline sympathetic to the cult. The West Coast religious sect has granted documentary producer Dame Julie Christie rare access for new series, Devotion: The Gloriavale Story. Leaver Boaz Benjamin says he…

Articles, Gloriavale Film/Docuseries

Julie Christie’s new Gloriavale documentary plays it dangerously neutral

June 29, 2026: | The Spinoff | Tara Ward | Tara Ward reviews the first episode of Three’s new documentary series and asks, when will it be enough? The opening moments of Devotion: The Gloriavale Story capture how isolated Gloriavale really is. It begins with some stunning South Island scenery, all snow-capped mountains,…

Devotion: The Gloriavale Story – is it worth the watch?

Sins of the father: Gloriavale leavers react to Julie Christie’s new documentary

Former Gloriavale member says new documentary misrepresents community

Former members challenge portrayal in Gloriavale series

Children’s Minister defends handling of Gloriavale child safety concerns

Gloriavale advocate questions agency coordination

Oranga Tamariki takes months to respond to Gloriavale child safety concerns

Questions over Oranga Tamariki response to Gloriavale

‘Same old stuff’: Gloriavale leaver raises concerns with new doco series

Julie Christie’s new Gloriavale documentary plays it dangerously neutral

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Devotion: The Gloriavale Story – is it worth the watch?

Sins of the father: Gloriavale leavers react to Julie Christie’s new documentary