‘Deeply sorry’: Govt apology for children of former fugitive Tom Phillips

A public inquiry into the handling of the Tom Phillips case says the harm he caused in isolating his three children, as well as concerns from the maternal whānau, were "minimised or overlooked by agencies for significant periods". Timeline of search for missing Marokopa family It also says that while agencies worked well together at times a more consistent and collaborative interagency approach "could have prevented the children's disappearance and brought them back sooner". The government has apologised to the Phillips children for failing to protect them. "For that we are deeply sorry". The government, Police and Children’s Ministry Oranga Tamariki (OT) have accepted the findings and recommendations, with OT's chief executive calling the report "difficult and at times harrowing reading". "It identifies opportunities that were missed to keep these children safe."