Podcasts about marokopa

A law expert says the Family Court's dismissed warnings before, like those raised about the Marokopa children. An inquiry's laid bare failures by police and Oranga Tamariki before and during the four-year search for fugitive Tom Phillips and his children. Their mother repeatedly expressed fears before Phillips went on the run with them a second time, but Oranga Tamariki assured the Court, they were fine in his care. Auckland University associate professor Carrie Leonetti says such failures are well established. She explained almost nothing stops fathers getting extensive, unsupervised access to their children - even mental health conditions, substance abuse and a history of violence. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki repeatedly dismissed concerns about Tom Phillips' children - before he fled for a second time into the Marokopa bushland. A four-year police hunt for them ended when Phillips was shot dead last year. An inquiry's laid bare numerous failures, including a lack of coordination between Oranga Tamariki and the police. Two months before Phillips took off the second time, the Ministry told the Family Court the children were fine in his care. Chief executive Amanda Malu says Oranga Tamariki didn't provide all the information it had - partly because the social worker was still compiling it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the Government has apologised to Tom Phillips' children for failing to keep them safe. And, man, that apology is not overdoing it when you read the report and realise just how many times officials completely stuffed up trying to find those kids and keep them safe. Probably the most shocking mistake was made by the police. A woman called them and said she had Phillips in her car, and she even took a photo of him to show them, but they never showed up. She'd come across his broken-down car somewhere around Marokopa and the kids were with him. She and another family member, a mother-in-law or something like that, tried to help him jump-start the car. After they'd done that, she went home and immediately called the cops. The police sent officers over but they ended up being redeployed to another job before they even reached her so they never turned up. That was May 2023. Those kids had already been in the bush for 18 months. Everybody in this country knew about the Phillips family by then. It wasn't as if the police didn't know who they were looking for. There was no excuse for treating it that way. For me, the second most alarming thing is that police knew Phillips was an alcoholic and a weirdo who'd done strange things, like wearing a full military gas mask around Ōtorohanga, talking about doomsday prepping and at times drinking a box of beer and a bottle of vodka in a single day. And yet, he had the kids in his care. And that was known in October, by the way. October is important because that's the month he runs away the first time. He comes back and authorities realise what they're dealing with: an alcoholic, deeply eccentric man. Yet before he runs away the second time, they leave the kids in his care. How is this a country where we leave kids with someone who gets that drunk? Now, what I've told you is by no means an exhaustive list of what went wrong. There was the case of OT actually closing its file in February 2022. The kids had been missing for 74 days and they said they had no concerns for their welfare. When he first disappears the second time, police say they're not worried about the kids' safety. Again, this is a guy who gets completely rotten drunk on a frequent basis. When his ute is found near Marokopa a month after he disappears, police don't bother turning up for nearly a week. They leave it there for six days. When they finally arrive, they simply leave a note and then leave. And it goes on and on and on, the failures. The basic finding in this review is that police and OT could have stopped him from going bush with the kids the second time but they didn't. Police also could have tried to get those kids out earlier but they didn't. Which means, if you know what the suppressed information is, they could have stopped all of that from happening and they didn't. And that is more horrific than bears thinking about. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home schooling is in the headlines today after the New Zealand Herald revealed that the Ministry of Education granted Marokopa father Tom Phillips permission to homeschool his three children before the family disappeared in 2021. What surprised us was that it seems no ministry officials visited Phillips to assess his suitability, or what the children were learning, that's after regular in-person reviews of homeschooling households were scaled back in 2010. So this afternoon, we wanted to take a closer look at how homeschooling works in New Zealand. Todd Roughton is a former principal who left the mainstream education system to homeschool his four children. He's now the Principal Emeritus of Home Schooling New Zealand.  [picture id="4MTAVAN_copyright_image_230834" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Outrageous outbursts from Trump - again. Also: revealing details of the documentary about the Police pursuit of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips, and a huge fall from grace for a former soldier who took on the Aussie media - and Emile's sweary save. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

My overriding reaction to news that a Tom Phillips documentary is being made for Netflix is surprise. I'm surprised that the police are still allowing this to happen - especially now that it's confirmed the documentary will appear on a platform as globally dominant as Netflix. Just think about how many people around the world will watch this. Imagine if the series takes off and becomes popular in the same way some true crime stories on Netflix do - think The Tinder Swindler. What happened after you watched that? Or after The Menendez Brothers documentary, or docudramas like Apple Cider Vinegar? You started Googling, didn't you? I know I did. What do we think people around the world are going to find when they start googling the Marokopa kids? There is a real chance they could come across suppressed information. And given how difficult it is to enforce suppression laws overseas, what do we think some of those global websites are going to do? There has to be a risk that some publishers abroad will release that suppressed material. To me, this feels like rolling the dice - big time - on information surfacing in a way New Zealand law simply can't control. If that happens, it could permanently limit these children's ability to live lives that aren't haunted by stories about what happened in the bush. That's why I'm so surprised the police aren't just going along with this documentary but are reportedly actively supporting it. Let's be clear - without police cooperation, this documentary would almost certainly struggle to be produced at the standard Netflix requires. That makes this a very big risk for the police - and I don't understand why they're taking it. Why are the police so keen to help make a documentary about one of the saddest events in New Zealand's history? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early hours of Monday morning, a man police were hunting for nearly four years was shot and killed in a stand-off on a rural Waikato road. That man was Tom Phillips, who in December 2021 vanished into the Marokopa bush with his three children, Jayda, Maverick, and Ember. There have been numerous sightings over the years of the fugitive father - the last was in August when he and another person believed to be one of his children, were seen on CCTV breaking into a Piopio superette. The Front Page travelled to the King Country and spoke to Waitomo District Mayor John Robertson about how the community has fared and what we can learn from the ordeal. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From geopolitical friction and climate chaos to a cost-of-living crisis and a haka heard around the world, 2025 has been a huge year for news. Trump’s return sparked trade wars, artificial intelligence is getting, well, more intelligent, and we’re rounding out the year with no end in sight for wars in Ukraine and Gaza. At home, Treaty principles were again put under the microscope, a huge blow for the New Zealand Police, and an end to a devastating saga in Marokopa. All of that mixed with a TikTok blackout, an American genes ad, TV shows that sparked worldwide conversation about the manosphere, and a little monster named Labubu. Today on The Front Page, our producers Richard Martin and Jane Yee are here to wrap up the year that was. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former police negotiator says police would have had to take a balanced approach to finding Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips and his three children. They've revealed today they spent thousands of hours searching for him but knew it was unlikely he would surrender easily. Former Police negotiator Lance Burdett told Ryan Bridge they probably didn't want to overplay their hand. He says it was a balancing act between causing physical, emotional or psychological distress to the children. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A law expert thinks an injunction suppressing key details in the Tom Phillips case will be difficult to keep in place. Media and authorities have been suppressed from discussing certain details related to the case since the Marokopa fugitive and his children were found last Monday. Media lawyers have been advocating for the right to report and the Wellington High Court will hear the matter again next month. Senior Law Lecturer Nikki Chamberlain told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's very difficult to stop individuals discussing the details on social media. She says unless you can make each individual subject to the injunction, you'd have to make the entire social media platform a party in the court order. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Kirk's killing prompts strong reactions - even at this distance; 'historic' beating for All Blacks - and more muted coverage of winning Black Ferns; more media fallout from the sad Marokopa saga. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The dramatic shootout on Monday which resulted in the recovery of the Marokopa children has gripped the nation and made headlines internationally. 

A former police negotiator says police must've found something obvious at Tom Phillips' campsites that indicates he was getting outside help. The Marokopa fugitive was shot dead by police on Monday, and his children are now in state care. A second campsite in dense bush has been uncovered - about 200 metres from the first. Lance Burdett says police are fairly sure Phillips was getting outside help, so items from the campsites will be used as evidence. "It's fingerprinted, it's photographed, it's everything that they can do to find out - DNA testing on every item, to track down who may have been involved." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The people who helped Tom Phillips should absolutely be packing themselves because the cops are making it pretty clear they're coming after them - and in a big way. Cops have said today that it is clear that Tom Phillips had help recently, judging by the stuff that's lying around in the second camp. And what police are planning to do is to trace where that stuff came from. So if it's not stolen, where did it come from? Who gave it to Tom Phillips? If it's bought, who bought it for Tom Phillips, who were the guns registered to? Now, this is incredibly frustrating to talk about because as of Monday, there is a suppression order in the courts, which means the full picture here is not out. But even without that full picture, I think that what we already know is serious enough for his accomplices to understand that they are in big trouble if they get caught. One man is dead, a police officer almost died, and those children were put in harm's way - basically every single day that they were in the bush. At any time, they might have come across a police officer. Now imagine how much more dangerous it would have been if it wasn't just one child, but all of them who were with him when he was confronted by a police officer and pulled a weapon on that officer and kicked off a gunfight. He took a child to rob a bank, he took a child to burgle a dairy, he took a child to burgle PGG Wrightson, he gave his daughter a gun. She pointed it at someone during the bank robbery. At any one of those moments, who knows if they come across a cop, he pulled his gun and kicked off a gunfight. Now, the accomplices cannot say that they didn't know. This has been going on for years. If they were helping him as recently as police believe, then they knew - and they deserved to be dragged before the courts for it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country is being urged to give Tom Phillips' children time and space to begin their long road to recovery. The children are now at an undisclosed location after their father died during an altercation with Police near Marokopa in western Waikato. Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad told Mike Hosking the children's needs must come first. She says over time, more can be understood about what's happened, but right now the privacy of the children is the most crucial thing. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The four-year long manhunt for Phillips and his three children ended early yesterday morning - when police shot and killed him in rural Waikato. One of his children was found with him, and the other two were located at a campsite in dense bush. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper said Police Commissioner Richard Chambers weighed in on the case during a 'sombre' press conference. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigations into Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips are far from over, after he was shot dead by police yesterday. The manhunt for Phillips and his three children stretched across four years. One of his children was with him at the scene, and the other two were found last night at a campsite in dense bush about two kilometres away. Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says they're investigating possible accomplices in this case. "We're going to put a puzzle together, we're going to better understand the last four years - anybody who may have been helping him, supplying him with something." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki says circumstances are unprecedented, as they care for fugitive Tom Phillips' three children. The four-year manhunt for the Marokopa father ended in the early hours of yesterday, when he was shot dead by police in Waikato. Children's Minister Karen Chhour says Tom Phillips' children are Oranga Tamariki's main focus - as they remain in the agency's care. "As an organisation, Oranga Tamariki has been working on a plan since the day they disappeared. That plan may have to change, depending on the circumstances of the young people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has said the country is "thinking and praying" for the police officer that was shot in Waitomo in the early hours of this morning. A four year manhunt for Marokopa father Tom Phillips came to an end when he was shot dead by police this morning. The search continues for two of his children who remain missing, while the injured police officer is undergoing multiple surgeries. Political reporter Anneke Smith spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Confronting and devastating - that is the reaction to a shootout early this morning which has left a police officer critically injured and missing man, Tom Phillips, dead. Phillips has been on the run in remote parts of the King Country since December 2021, after taking his three children from Marokopa. One of the children is now with police, but the hunt continues for the other children who police believe are by themselves in the bush. Libby Kirkby-McLeod reports.

The police say one of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips' children gave crucial information which helped officers find their two missing siblings on Monday afternoon. Ōtorohanga district mayor Max Baxter spoke to Corin Dann.

In today's episode, the police say one of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips' children gave crucial information which helped officers find their two missing siblings on Monday afternoon; A new political poll shows Labour support hitting 33.8 percent, just ahead of National; A primary school principal is making a plea to parents to restrict online activity for their children.

A day after the police shot dead fugitive Marokopa man Tom Phillips and his children were found, questions remain about how they survived in the rugged, isolated Waitomo bush country for four years. Rowan Quinn reports.

The Police Commissioner says they're very relieved to have safely recovered the children of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips after nearly four years. He was shot dead by Police in the early hours of yesterday on a rural Waikato road following a burglary. One child was with him, the two others were found in the afternoon at a remote campsite. Richard Chambers told Mike Hosking it took them a while to recover the children, but they'd been told there were firearms at the campsite. He says the way the situation played out was not something they wanted, but they suspected it could end that way. Chambers says the injured officer who was shot multiple times remains in Waikato Hospital. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The children of fugitive Tom Phillips are still missing. The Marokopa father was shot dead by police in the early hours of this morning, following a burglary in Waikato's Piopio. Police Minister Mark Mitchell says he's confident the police will find and recover the children. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The race is on to track down the two missing children of Marokopa man Tom Phillips before the end of the day. Phillips was shot dead earlier today by police, following a burglary in Waikato's Piopio. Former police negotiator Lance Burdett says the fact they're children will make the hunt so much tougher for police. "They'll be panicking, probably, and it's unpredictable. They won't stick to tracks and trails...so they could be all over the place." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has voiced concerns about the missing children of Marokopa man Tom Phillips. Phillips was shot dead by police this morning, concluding a four-year manhunt, but two of his children are belived to be unaccompanied in the bush. Luxon hasn't been briefed on any specific locations the police think the children might be. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Luxon's reflected on the concerns the country must be feeling. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of police resources have been deployed to try and find Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips' two missing children before it gets dark - after he was shot dead by an officer in the Waikato this morning. A quad bike being ridden by him and one of his children was stopped by police spikes after a burglary in Piopio. An approaching officer was then shot multiple times, including in the head, and is receiving surgery on his eye. A second officer arrived at the scene and shot the gunman dead. Newstalk ZB reporter Jordan Dunn says the authorities will be conducting this search 'meticulously' and 'strategically', as there's a good chance the missing children aren't alone. "They do say that there's a good chance they're alone, but the key there is that they're not making assumptions. They're going out there as if there is the possibility that they are being aided." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Child psychologist Doctor Sarah Watson joins Emile Donovan.

Police have released footage of two hooded figures, believed to be fugitive father Tom Phillips and one of his children, breaking into a Piopio business. Phillips has been on the run in the remote King Country bush since December 2021, after taking his three children from Marokopa. Police said while they investigate the milk theft, and other alleged crimes by Mr Phillips, their priority is to bring his children home. Libby Kirkby-McLeod reports. Criminal psychologist Dr Tim Watson-Munro has worked on a number high profile cases in Australia and joined Lisa Owen from Melbourne.

Police have a balance to manage as they continue the hunt for Marokopa fugitive father Tom Phillips and his three children. Police have released CCTV footage of a retail burglary in the King Country town of Piopio on Wednesday involving two people they believe to be the Marokopa father and one of his children. Lawyer Matthew Hague, who has served in the Police and Defence Force, says Police need to balance bringing this to a conclusion - with the risk of Phillips having weapons. But he told Heather du Plessis-Allan that this doesn't mean Police will be passive. Hague says they'll be working with the community, and using a variety of resources - but they'll be trying to avoid a direction confrontation. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 29 August 2025, Reserve Bank chair Neil Quigley has quit with immediate effect. Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells Heather if he hadn't left voluntarily, she would have sacked him. The Marokopa fugitive dad and his kids have burgled a dairy this week - but police don't sound like they're actively trying to find them. Why did Heather have to apologise to TVNZ CEO Jodi O'Donnell? A member of the Mongrel Mob has asked a judge for his confiscated patch back and the judge has said yes.. because of tikanga. Law Professor Al Gillespie says it was a good call. Plus, the Sports Huddle on this week's discussion about the risk of longlasting brain injuries from rugby - and whether more needs to be done to prevent them. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police believe they've captured CCTV footage of Marokopa father Tom Phillips and one of his children, during a burglary in rural Waikato. Reporter Finn Blackwell spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Anna berättar om Tanya Van Cuylenborg och Jay Cook, ett ungt par som skulle köra från British Columbia till Seattle men hittades mördade. Det skulle ta 31 år innan polisen hittade den skyldige. Karin berättar om Tom Philips och hans barn Jayda, Maverick och Ember – som lämnade familjens gård i Marokopa, Nya Zeeland för en campingtur i december 2021 och försvann. Men hur och varför?

The mother of the three missing Marokopa kids says she's dumbfounded by the trolling and nasty comments she has experienced since 2021.

The mother of three Marokopa children missing with their father Tom Phillips for nearly three years has spoken for the first time since a sighting last week. Ember, Maverick and Jayda Phillips have been missing in Waikato bush along with their father since December 2021. Last week a group of teenage pig hunters spotted three children and a man carrying backpacks and wearing masks on Marokopa farmland who pulled out their phones and filmed the encounter. This afternoon the children's mother Cat told Mata Reports' Mihingarangi Forbes she recognised her former partner as she walked past a ute in the Hamilton Bunnings carpark in August last year.

The mother of three Marokopa children, Cat, says she's convinced others are helping Tom Phillips stay on the run. Cat spoke to Mihingarangi Forbes from Mata Reports.

Marokopa fugutive Tom Phillips and his three children have apparently managed to evade police yet again after a "credible" sighting by hunters who passed them in bush, filming the family on their phone. The close encounter happened last Thursday at about 7pm. Palmerston man John McOviney said his 16 year old grandson was one of the hunters who saw Phillips near Coutts road north of Awamarino in Waikato. Australian David Craig was a former Detective Superintendent and federal agent, and spoke to Lisa Owen.

On today's episode, documents released by Te Whatu Ora on Tuesday revealed new details about the huge deficit facing our hospitals, the Defence Force says a salvage team is being put together to figure out how to get HMNZS Manawanui off the sea floor in Samoa, news came out on Tuesday that Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips and his three children Jayda Maverick and Ember had been seen and talked to by two teenage hunters who passed them in bush, Anna Coddington's bilingual waiata 'Katuarehe' has taken out the top prize at Aotearoa's most prestigious songwriting award ceremony on Tuesday night,

News came out on Tuesday that Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips and his three children Jayda Maverick and Ember had been seen and talked to by two teenage hunters who passed them in bush. Private investigator Chris Budge spoke to Corin Dann.

The 80 thousand dollar reward offered by the police for information on missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips and his three children has expired, so what happens next in the search for the elusive fugitive?

The 80 thousand dollar reward offered in the hunt for Tom Phillips and his three children has expired with no sign the police got the breakthough in the case they were hoping for. The Marokopa man and his three school-aged children, Jayda, Maverick and Ember, have not been seen since December 2021. RNZ Reporter Natalie Akoorie spoke to Ingrid Hipikiss.

At 11:59pm tomorrow, the $80,000 dollar reward for the Marokopa children who were taken bush by their dad two and half years ago expires. Tom Phillips went AWOL with Ember, Maverick and Jayda and is now wanted for alleged bank robbery, possibly with one of the kids. Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders speaks to Lisa Owen.

The expiry date is looming for the $80,000 reward leading to the safe return of 3 marokopa children taken by their fugative father, California psychologist Doctor Rebecca Bailey, who has extensive experience in abductions speaks to Lisa Owen.

A reward offer, a mother's public statement and the sharing of a personal letter has stoked the fire in the search of the three Marokopa children. Ember, Maverik and Jayda Phillips were last seen with their father Tom Phillips in the western Waikato community more than two years ago. Police say they are working through more than forty reports of credible sightings as the deadline for the $80,000 reward ends on Tuesday. Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Police hunting for fugative Tom Phillips and his three children continue to sift through more than 70 new leads, since offering an $80,000 reward. Australian David Craig, is an expert on covert operation, a former Detective Superintendent and federal Agent and also the Chief Hunter on a TV programme where experts chase down and capture fugative contestants speaks on what he would suggest in regards to the hunt. 

Former SAS tracker Barrie Rice speaks to Lisa Owen about the hunt for Marokopa man Tom Phillips and his three children, he said Police need to be using a specialist army team.

A potential sighting of Marokopa fugutive Tom Phillips and his three children at a remote hot springs has become a focus of the police manhunt, Natalie Akoorie reports.

The police presence in the tiny King Country coastal settlement of Marokopa is into it's third night as the hunt for fugitive father Tom Phillips, and his three children Jayda, Maverick and Ember, continues, Natalie Akoorie reports.

Police are offering an $80,000 reward for information on missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips and his three children.