Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com
The Government has extended the deadline for the final report into one of New Zealand’s most troubling recent missing‑persons cases — the disappearance of the Phillips children — giving the Inquiry an additional month to clarify an outstanding matter.
The Phillips children — Jayda, Maverick, and Ember — became known nationwide after vanishing with their father, Tom Phillips, in December 2021. The family disappeared from Marokopa, sparking extensive searches, public appeals, and years of speculation about their welfare and whereabouts.
Their disappearance became one of the most high‑profile cases in modern New Zealand policing, involving repeated search operations, community sightings, and ongoing concerns about the children’s safety. When the children were eventually located, questions intensified about how agencies had handled the case, what they knew, and whether earlier intervention might have changed the outcome.
It was against this backdrop that the Government established a Public Inquiry to examine the actions of agencies involved with the family before, during, and after the disappearance.
Attorney‑General Hon Chris Bishop confirmed today that the Inquiry’s final report — originally submitted on 21 July — will now be delayed by one month.
Bishop said the extension was necessary to allow the Inquiry to “clarify a matter” before the report is formally presented to Parliament.
He praised the work of Inquiry Chair Hon Justice Simon Moore KC, saying the report already provides “a thorough and exacting account” of how government agencies interacted with Mr Phillips and the children over several years.
Bishop noted that the Inquiry had taken particular care with suppression orders and the children’s welfare, consistent with the Terms of Reference set in November 2025 by then Attorney‑General Hon Judith Collins.
“The first principle of the Terms of Reference is ensuring the children’s welfare is not further threatened,” Bishop said. “The Inquiry has been careful and responsible in meeting that obligation.”
The reporting date will be formally amended via Gazette notice under the Inquiries Act. No other part of the Terms of Reference will change.
Once the final report is received, Bishop will consider whether any redactions are required to avoid affecting the administration of justice. The report will then be presented to the House of Representatives “as soon as practicable.”
