A judicial review of the reporting restrictions in the Family Court concerning the Tom Phillips case has been granted to media organizations by Justice Layne Harvey. The matter will now be sent back to the Family Court for further review.
Due to an existing injunction, no additional details can currently be reported. Media organizations such as NZME and Stuff challenged the strict reporting restrictions in the High Court at Hamilton in November.
Following the tragic death of Phillips and the discovery of his children in deep Waitomo bush on September 8, Phillips’ mother, Julia, sought an injunction in the High Court to restrict the details of the case. This injunction prohibited the publication of certain information.
Subsequently, on September 15, a Family Court judge issued further orders restricting publication. Justice Layne Harvey has now confirmed the grant of the judicial review, but no additional details can be disclosed at this time.
Family Court Judge Garry Collin had previously imposed suppression orders, including restrictions on the publication of information about the children involved in the case. These orders are to remain in effect until further notice from the Family Court or High Court.
Last week, RNZ reported that a member of the police’s media team had informed a documentary crew about the incident that led to Tom Phillips’ death before notifying the family. Police have since apologized for the error.
In response to mounting public interest in the case, the government announced an inquiry to investigate whether all necessary steps were taken by government agencies to protect the safety and welfare of the Phillips children during the time they were missing.
These developments highlight the importance of transparency and accountability in cases involving vulnerable individuals and families.
