September 9, 2025 • 7 mins
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."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Afternoon. While the children have been safely recovered from the bush,
the investigations into Tom Phillips are far from over. Police
have said they are actively hunting any of Philip Phillips's
accomplices as they try to unpack us whereabouts over the
past four years. Richard Chambers is the Police Commissioner. Richard.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hello, Hello, Heather.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Richard. You said today that when you went to see
your officer in hospital it was confronting.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Why, well, the extent of the injuries never you know,
we got very very close to losing one of our
colleagues yesterday morning. It's quite remarkable he's with us, and
it's even more remarkable that he's speaking and he's so positive,
actually with a bit of humor. So very very confronting,
especially having just returned from Melbourne where I attended the
(00:43):
funeral of two Victoria police officers who were shot at
the end of August.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
All right, you're going after Tom Phillips's accomplices, now, are you?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Absolutely we are. So 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,
you know, I mean that's our job. We're in law enforcement,
and if somebody has contributed to the situation that we've
been dealing with, in the situation these children have been
put in, then we'll apply our effort to that. And
(01:14):
who knows what may come of our work going forward.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Are Tom Phillips's parents suspects?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I wouldn't comment on that, Heather. I mean, you know,
we keep an open mind. We've got a lot of
work to do. We are very very grateful to the
publics for the support that they have provided us, and
that information continues to come and so yet a lot
of work to do, very very committed police officers on
this investigation, and we will ensure that if we identify
(01:43):
offenses along the way, irrespective of who they are, we
will bear with them.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
How many do you think there were accomplices?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Look, I don't know. I don't know whither. We have
to keep a very open mind. And you know, we're
talking about four years that have passed. It's a long time.
It's been a very very challenging investigation. You know, he's
been committing violent offenses unbelievably with some of his children,
So you know, it's a complex situation and you know,
(02:13):
we've got a fair bit of work to do before
we can share that a puzzle more publicly.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Are you going to go ahead with that documentary?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, you know, I mean we get approaches all the
time from documentary makers, you know, if agreements are put
in place to be retained control over the content. So yeah,
this is no different on this occasion. So you know,
we'll give that thought going forward. Yeah, certainly, certainly a
situation that's got a lot of global interest, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Richard, How can you go ahead with the documentary? You've
got kids here who are traumatized, one of whom watched
the father being shot. And it's not to say that
that wasn't the right thing to do, but these kids
need to get on with their lives, and if a
documentary is published as released in years to come, it
will only retraumatize them and bring this all back up
for them, won't It will make us all be interested again?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah? Look, yeah, correct, they look, we're very mindful of
the impact of this whole situation, and our job is
certainly to ensure the children are given the best future
that they can possibly have, So we're mindful of all
of that, and hey, Look, it's like any other occasion
where we make a documentary. We always operate within the law,
and we also always take on board all the privacy considerations.
This situation is absolutely no different.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Is it a possibility that you may pullpen on it?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
It's too early hither to comment on at it all.
You know, I mean that the agreement in place allows
police to maintain control of any information that has the
potential to be shared. You know, we've shared a lot
in the last couple of days because that's what a
lot of the public interest. Then the situation is global,
so you know, we're very very mindful of the impact
(03:52):
of the information that we share. So it's too early
to make terminations in that respect. Are you going to
we also have investigations, of course, we have the investigation ongoing.
We have Corona investigation, so you know, a long time ago.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Yeah, fair enough. Are you going to oppose that suppression
in court?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Well, look, I need to give hopefully tomorrow, I'll give
some more thought to that, because I've got my people
thinking about that right now. But we appreciate there's tremendous
public interest in this situation, so we're very mindful of that,
and you know the public, they've got a right to
know the information. Frankly, whatever that may be. So, but
(04:31):
at this point undetermined in terms of where we said
on it. We need to give that some thought.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Okay, did you in the last four years ever come
across them? Any of your officers ever come across the
slot in the bush?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Look, we've been working really, really hard for forty years,
day and night. I've been out there in the field
with my staff. I've been to their operation base. They've
put their heart and soul into this for a very
long time. We've we've used a number of tactics. We've
been over we've been covert, we've been you know, we've
done a huge amount of work around this. So the
(05:06):
challenge we've had all the way along is the environment
that we're operating and a motivated, armed and dangerous person.
We're very conscious of the safety and will being as
the children. So we've had so many considerations and along
the way we've had tremendous support from the public. So
in the fullness of time, that puzzle will put together
(05:27):
and we'll share more of what we know in due course.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Did you come across them in four years in the bush?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well? Had we come across them in a way we
could have brought to did you come across them?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Did any of your officers come across them in the bush?
Speaker 2 (05:43):
No?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
No, never once, never in four years, never once. No.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
We've had lots of information coming through. We've obviously had
images caught on TV. We had all sorts of things.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
I mean, we ask you about and I'm not looking
to impugne you guys in any way, but there is
a chap who has gone public today with he spent
about one thousand hours here records that he came across
them three times. Is that credible?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I don't know who that persons. But of course if
he's got information that he would liked to share with
the police, then he needs to do the right thing.
So that's all I say. We've appealed for the public
support all the way along, and I'm assuming he has
she had whatever information he has. If he hasn't, then
I think he should probably should.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
All right, Richard, thank you very much, really appreciate your time.
Richard Chambers a police commissioner. Now, the suppression that I
was talking about with Richard, just there is an injunction
that was filed in the High Court last night the kids.
If you remember yesterday the kids were found around four
point thirty just after seven. Media were injuncted and prevented
from publishing certain aspects of the case, which have largely
(06:44):
up to now been unpublished. Police are also injuncted as
audung A Tamidiki. The lawyer Linda Clark is acting on
behalf of the Phillips family and applied for the injunction.
This will be heard again tomorrow in the High Court
in Wellington. We will be speaking to Karen Shure, the
Minister for Children, in charge of ordering a somebody key
after half past five and so I'll talk to her
(07:06):
about that as well. By the way, sorry I said tomorrow,
I mean Thursday of course. For more from Heather Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news Talks it'd be from
four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Afternoon. While the children have been safely recovered from the bush,
the investigations into Tom Phillips are far from over. Police
have said they are actively hunting any of Philip Phillips's
accomplices as they try to unpack us whereabouts over the
past four years. Richard Chambers is the Police Commissioner. Richard.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hello, Hello, Heather.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Richard. You said today that when you went to see
your officer in hospital it was confronting.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Why, well, the extent of the injuries never you know,
we got very very close to losing one of our
colleagues yesterday morning. It's quite remarkable he's with us, and
it's even more remarkable that he's speaking and he's so positive,
actually with a bit of humor. So very very confronting,
especially having just returned from Melbourne where I attended the
(00:43):
funeral of two Victoria police officers who were shot at
the end of August.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
All right, you're going after Tom Phillips's accomplices, now, are you?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Absolutely we are. So 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,
you know, I mean that's our job. We're in law enforcement,
and if somebody has contributed to the situation that we've
been dealing with, in the situation these children have been
put in, then we'll apply our effort to that. And
(01:14):
who knows what may come of our work going forward.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Are Tom Phillips's parents suspects?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
I wouldn't comment on that, Heather. I mean, you know,
we keep an open mind. We've got a lot of
work to do. We are very very grateful to the
publics for the support that they have provided us, and
that information continues to come and so yet a lot
of work to do, very very committed police officers on
this investigation, and we will ensure that if we identify
(01:43):
offenses along the way, irrespective of who they are, we
will bear with them.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
How many do you think there were accomplices?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Look, I don't know. I don't know whither. We have
to keep a very open mind. And you know, we're
talking about four years that have passed. It's a long time.
It's been a very very challenging investigation. You know, he's
been committing violent offenses unbelievably with some of his children,
So you know, it's a complex situation and you know,
(02:13):
we've got a fair bit of work to do before
we can share that a puzzle more publicly.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Are you going to go ahead with that documentary?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, you know, I mean we get approaches all the
time from documentary makers, you know, if agreements are put
in place to be retained control over the content. So yeah,
this is no different on this occasion. So you know,
we'll give that thought going forward. Yeah, certainly, certainly a
situation that's got a lot of global interest, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Richard, How can you go ahead with the documentary? You've
got kids here who are traumatized, one of whom watched
the father being shot. And it's not to say that
that wasn't the right thing to do, but these kids
need to get on with their lives, and if a
documentary is published as released in years to come, it
will only retraumatize them and bring this all back up
for them, won't It will make us all be interested again?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yeah? Look, yeah, correct, they look, we're very mindful of
the impact of this whole situation, and our job is
certainly to ensure the children are given the best future
that they can possibly have, So we're mindful of all
of that, and hey, Look, it's like any other occasion
where we make a documentary. We always operate within the law,
and we also always take on board all the privacy considerations.
This situation is absolutely no different.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Is it a possibility that you may pullpen on it?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
It's too early hither to comment on at it all.
You know, I mean that the agreement in place allows
police to maintain control of any information that has the
potential to be shared. You know, we've shared a lot
in the last couple of days because that's what a
lot of the public interest. Then the situation is global,
so you know, we're very very mindful of the impact
(03:52):
of the information that we share. So it's too early
to make terminations in that respect. Are you going to
we also have investigations, of course, we have the investigation ongoing.
We have Corona investigation, so you know, a long time ago.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Yeah, fair enough. Are you going to oppose that suppression
in court?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Well, look, I need to give hopefully tomorrow, I'll give
some more thought to that, because I've got my people
thinking about that right now. But we appreciate there's tremendous
public interest in this situation, so we're very mindful of that,
and you know the public, they've got a right to
know the information. Frankly, whatever that may be. So, but
(04:31):
at this point undetermined in terms of where we said
on it. We need to give that some thought.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Okay, did you in the last four years ever come
across them? Any of your officers ever come across the
slot in the bush?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Look, we've been working really, really hard for forty years,
day and night. I've been out there in the field
with my staff. I've been to their operation base. They've
put their heart and soul into this for a very
long time. We've we've used a number of tactics. We've
been over we've been covert, we've been you know, we've
done a huge amount of work around this. So the
(05:06):
challenge we've had all the way along is the environment
that we're operating and a motivated, armed and dangerous person.
We're very conscious of the safety and will being as
the children. So we've had so many considerations and along
the way we've had tremendous support from the public. So
in the fullness of time, that puzzle will put together
(05:27):
and we'll share more of what we know in due course.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Did you come across them in four years in the bush?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well? Had we come across them in a way we
could have brought to did you come across them?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Did any of your officers come across them in the bush?
Speaker 2 (05:43):
No?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
No, never once, never in four years, never once. No.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
We've had lots of information coming through. We've obviously had
images caught on TV. We had all sorts of things.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
I mean, we ask you about and I'm not looking
to impugne you guys in any way, but there is
a chap who has gone public today with he spent
about one thousand hours here records that he came across
them three times. Is that credible?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I don't know who that persons. But of course if
he's got information that he would liked to share with
the police, then he needs to do the right thing.
So that's all I say. We've appealed for the public
support all the way along, and I'm assuming he has
she had whatever information he has. If he hasn't, then
I think he should probably should.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
All right, Richard, thank you very much, really appreciate your time.
Richard Chambers a police commissioner. Now, the suppression that I
was talking about with Richard, just there is an injunction
that was filed in the High Court last night the kids.
If you remember yesterday the kids were found around four
point thirty just after seven. Media were injuncted and prevented
from publishing certain aspects of the case, which have largely
(06:44):
up to now been unpublished. Police are also injuncted as
audung A Tamidiki. The lawyer Linda Clark is acting on
behalf of the Phillips family and applied for the injunction.
This will be heard again tomorrow in the High Court
in Wellington. We will be speaking to Karen Shure, the
Minister for Children, in charge of ordering a somebody key
after half past five and so I'll talk to her
(07:06):
about that as well. By the way, sorry I said tomorrow,
I mean Thursday of course. For more from Heather Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news Talks it'd be from
four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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