Legislative & LegalAnother Court Win! Gloriavale Leavers Succeed in Judicial Review Against Labour Inspectorate
Nine former Gloriavale members (plaintiffs in the Courage and Pilgrim proceedings) asked the Employment Court to judicially review the Labour Inspectorate’s handling of the 2017 and 2021 investigations. They challenged the Inspectorate’s decision not to properly investigate following its 2017 desktop inquiry, its decision to exclude children from the 2021 investigation, and its ultimate decision not to investigate further or take enforcement action against Gloriavale.
They claimed the Labour Inspectorate’s decision-making was legally flawed on multiple grounds, including errors of law, taking irrelevant considerations into account, failing to consider mandatory relevant matters, irrationality, manifest unreasonableness, and failures of fairness.
In this judgment, Chief Judge Christina Inglis upheld their judicial review application, finding that the Labour Inspector had made“numerous reviewable errors”.
She stated it misunderstood its legal powers, took irrelevant considerations such as disruption to Gloriavale into account, failed to properly consider and investigate child workers, and made decisions that were“manifestly unreasonable”, “unreasonable and irrational.”It also failed to adequately test evidence, pursue further inquiries identified by Crown Law, or properly grapple with evidence of control and duress within Gloriavale.
The Chief Judge emphasized that these were not inconsequential regulatory decisions as the case was placed within a broader human rights context, noting it involved“forced child labour, workplace abuse and servitude.” Allegations of child labour had “profound implications for those impacted” and “the stakes were very high”. In those circumstances, she said the Labour Inspectorate was required to take a “protective, rather than hands-off, approach” and referred to New Zealand’s international obligations concerningforced labour, child slavery and exploitation.
ABC News: Doomsday cult leader William Kamm found not guilty of grooming girl
William Kamm, the self-proclaimed prophet and leader of the Order of St Charbel—often referred to as "Little Pebble"—has been found not guilty of grooming a young girl. The trial, which concluded in the New South Wales District Court, concerned allegations that Kamm and his wife had groomed a female child under the age of 14. Despite the acquittal on these specific charges, Kamm remains a highly controversial figure with a documented history of sex crimes.
Kamm previously served a decade in prison for offenses committed against underage members of his cult, where he infamously preached that he was chosen to repopulate the earth. His ideology and the coercive control he exerted over his followers have made him a central subject in the study of high-demand religious groups and psychological manipulation. Following his earlier release from custody, Kamm has been subjected to a strict Extended Supervision Order, requiring constant electronic monitoring. This latest verdict closes a high-profile legal chapter for the group, though community concerns about his past influence and the nature of the Order of St Charbel persist.
ABC News: William Kamm 'Little Pebble' found not guilty of grooming girl
Cult leader William Kamm, also known as the "Little Pebble," and his partner Sandra Mathison have been found not guilty of grooming a young girl over a decade. The verdict was delivered following a judge-alone trial at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court. Kamm, the 76-year-old former head of the Order of Saint Charbel on the New South Wales south coast, and 60-year-old Mathison faced charges of jointly grooming the complainant between 2010 and 2020, starting when she was just six years old. Prosecutors alleged that the couple groomed the girl with the intention of making her one of Kamm's twelve "queens" or spiritual wives. The Crown claimed the overarching goal was for her to bear up to 45 of his children to repopulate the earth following an anticipated apocalyptic event that would leave only Kamm's followers behind. The court had heard allegations that the grooming involved secret phone calls using code words while Kamm was incarcerated, and letters suggesting a divine mission orchestrated by God and the Virgin Mary. Kamm also successfully defended additional charges of inciting an indecent act and breaching extended supervision orders. Both Kamm and Mathison consistently maintained their innocence throughout the trial's extensive legal proceedings today.
openPR: Seoul Court Consolidates Lee Man-hee Case with Co-Defendants
The Seoul Central District Court has officially transferred the case against Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee for alleged violations of the Political Parties Act from a single-judge bench to a three-judge panel. Effective August 10, the newly assigned Criminal Collegiate Division 27 consolidates Lee's proceedings with those of current and former organizational officials. These co-defendants face related charges regarding a coordinated, large-scale registration of members. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 21 to prepare for the main trial.
Legal experts emphasize that this consolidation is an administrative step designed for procedural efficiency, not a premature determination of a coordinated conspiracy. Nonetheless, the shift is expected to change the trajectory of public and media scrutiny. Attention will likely shift from debates over the pretrial detention of the 95-year-old leader to the prosecution's ability to prove a continuous chain of command linking Lee's directives to local-level implementation.
Simultaneously, Lee's legal defense submitted a bail application on August 4. Their arguments heavily emphasize his advanced age, deteriorating health, and the viability of alternatives like electronic monitoring. Lee previously secured bail during his 2020 legal proceedings on similar health-related grounds, creating a strong precedent for his current request.
Ongoing Focus
The Telegraph: ‘He chose Scientology over his daughter’: Why did Tom Cruise split from Suri?Tom Cruise’s daughter, Suri, has seemingly distanced herself from her famous father, recently adopting the stage name Suri Noelle for an acting debut at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. By dropping her father's recognizable surname and using her mother Katie Holmes’s middle name instead, she has put their fractured relationship back in the public spotlight.
The estrangement, dating back over a decade, is widely attributed to Cruise’s deep devotion to the Church of Scientology. During his 2012 divorce from Holmes, Cruise admitted she left him partly to protect their daughter from the organization's controversial influence. Former Scientologists explain that devoted members are often encouraged to strictly disconnect from "suppressive persons" who oppose the church, which may explain the paternal rift.
This distant relationship contrasts sharply with Cruise’s dynamic with his two eldest adopted children, Isabella and Connor, from his prior marriage to Nicole Kidman. Both were raised heavily within Scientology, remain completely dedicated to the faith, and maintain active ties with their father today while leading relatively private lives.
Despite intense speculation, neither Cruise, Holmes, nor Suri has addressed the estrangement. However, industry observers suggest Suri’s public name change signals growing independence that could eventually lead her to speak out.
AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.
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