: By Jean Edwards | RNZ | Gloriavale’s communal religious society is not a sham and there is no capitalist labour market hidden within the Christian community, the Employment Court has heard. Shepherd Samuel Valor also apologised for Gloriavale’s part in “confusion” about its legal representation and urged chief judge Christina…
: By Shannon Redstall | Stuff | A lawyer for Gloriavale has suggested the women who are arguing they should have been recognised as employees of the secretive Christian community “exaggerated” their experiences. The long-running case centres around whether six former Gloriavale members should be considered employees for the “slave-like” conditions…
: By Caley Callahan | Newshub | Gloriavale has apologised to the Employment Court after a calamitous start to closing submissions. The hearing was delayed by a day after the community’s leaders engaged legal counsel, despite saying they couldn’t afford it. Gloriavale leader Samuel Valor began by making a public apology…
: Caley Callahan | Newshub | Gloriavale leaders have been accused of misleading the Employment Court over their use of lawyers. Late last year, the community’s leaders informed the hearing they would represent themselves. But when closing submissions began on Tuesday morning, they once again had legal counsel. Gloriavale leader Samuel…
: By Jean Edwards | RNZ | Gloriavale’s leaders have misled the barrister representing six former members by appearing with their own lawyer for closing submissions in a long-running case, despite saying the Christian community could no longer afford a legal team, the Employment Court has heard. The development resulted in…
: By Ryan Boswell | 1News | After claiming they couldn’t afford legal representation, Gloriavale leaders have turned up at the Employment Court with a new lawyer, sparking a war of words and delaying proceedings. Carter Pearce is now representing the West Coast commune in a dispute over whether six former…
: By Caley Callahan | Newshub | An unlikely TV star has been called as the final witness in the employment case against Gloriavale. Dove Stedfast, more commonly known as Dove Love, told the hearing that employment relationships wouldn’t work for their way of life. “My name is Dove Stedfast,” the…
: By Ryan Boswell | 1News Reporter| The star of a television show about Gloriavale never wants to be a leader of the West Coast commune because of her Christian beliefs. Dove Steadfast, who was once known as Dove Love, was grilled about women’s rights at Gloriavale during an Employment Court…
: By Jean Edwards | RNZ | Gloriavale founder and convicted sex offender Hopeful Christian was a sinner but was used by God to bring about change, a senior community leader says. Shepherd Stephen Standfast told the Employment Court it should not have been acceptable for someone with Christian’s criminal record…
: By Ryan Boswell | 1News | There are “very definitely” difficulties between Gloriavale’s Christian ethos and human rights law, according to a senior leader of the West Coast commune. Stephen Standfast, who is the successor to Overseeing Shepherd Howard Temple, is giving evidence in the Employment Court in Christchurch. The…
