On 15 September 2026, the Government released the final report of the Public Inquiry into the Disappearance of the Phillips Children near Marokopa in 2021, along with its response to the Inquiry’s findings and recommendations.
Tom Phillips initially took his children into the bush for 18 days in September 2021. He took them back into the bush in December 2021 and evaded the authorities for nearly four years until 8 September 2025 when he was killed in an exchange of gunfire with Police. A Police officer was critically injured.
A Public Inquiry into the Disappearance of the Phillips Children was established on 24 November 2025, with former High Court justice Hon Simon Moore KC as the sole member. The Inquiry delivered its report on 21 July 2026.
The Inquiry was asked to investigate whether government agencies took all practicable steps to protect the safety and welfare of the Phillips children, including steps to prevent the children’s disappearance; and whether they responded appropriately and in a timely way to locate the children once they had disappeared.
The Inquiry also considered whether agencies engaged appropriately with the Family Court and looked into how Tom Phillips obtained and maintained a firearms licence, weapons and ammunition.
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