1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Afternoon. While the children have been safely recovered from the bush, 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: the investigations into Tom Phillips are far from over. Police 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: have said they are actively hunting any of Philip Phillips's 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: accomplices as they try to unpack us whereabouts over the 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: past four years. Richard Chambers is the Police Commissioner. Richard. 6 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: Hello, Hello, Heather. 7 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: Richard. You said today that when you went to see 8 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: your officer in hospital it was confronting. 9 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: Why, well, the extent of the injuries never you know, 10 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: we got very very close to losing one of our 11 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 2: colleagues yesterday morning. It's quite remarkable he's with us, and 12 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 2: it's even more remarkable that he's speaking and he's so positive, 13 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 2: actually with a bit of humor. So very very confronting, 14 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 2: especially having just returned from Melbourne where I attended the 15 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 2: funeral of two Victoria police officers who were shot at 16 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 2: the end of August. 17 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: All right, you're going after Tom Phillips's accomplices, now, are you? 18 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely we are. So we're going to put a puzzle together. 19 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: We're going to better understand the last four years. Anybody 20 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 2: who may have been helping him, supplying him with something, 21 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 2: you know, I mean that's our job. We're in law enforcement, 22 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 2: and if somebody has contributed to the situation that we've 23 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 2: been dealing with, in the situation these children have been 24 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 2: put in, then we'll apply our effort to that. And 25 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: who knows what may come of our work going forward. 26 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: Are Tom Phillips's parents suspects? 27 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: I wouldn't comment on that, Heather. I mean, you know, 28 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: we keep an open mind. We've got a lot of 29 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: work to do. We are very very grateful to the 30 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 2: publics for the support that they have provided us, and 31 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: that information continues to come and so yet a lot 32 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 2: of work to do, very very committed police officers on 33 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 2: this investigation, and we will ensure that if we identify 34 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 2: offenses along the way, irrespective of who they are, we 35 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 2: will bear with them. 36 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: How many do you think there were accomplices? 37 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: Look, I don't know. I don't know whither. We have 38 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 2: to keep a very open mind. And you know, we're 39 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 2: talking about four years that have passed. It's a long time. 40 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 2: It's been a very very challenging investigation. You know, he's 41 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 2: been committing violent offenses unbelievably with some of his children, 42 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 2: So you know, it's a complex situation and you know, 43 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 2: we've got a fair bit of work to do before 44 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: we can share that a puzzle more publicly. 45 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: Are you going to go ahead with that documentary? 46 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I mean we get approaches all the 47 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 2: time from documentary makers, you know, if agreements are put 48 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 2: in place to be retained control over the content. So yeah, 49 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 2: this is no different on this occasion. So you know, 50 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 2: we'll give that thought going forward. Yeah, certainly, certainly a 51 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 2: situation that's got a lot of global interest, that's for sure. 52 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: Richard, How can you go ahead with the documentary? You've 53 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: got kids here who are traumatized, one of whom watched 54 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: the father being shot. And it's not to say that 55 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: that wasn't the right thing to do, but these kids 56 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: need to get on with their lives, and if a 57 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: documentary is published as released in years to come, it 58 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: will only retraumatize them and bring this all back up 59 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: for them, won't It will make us all be interested again? 60 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 2: Yeah? Look, yeah, correct, they look, we're very mindful of 61 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 2: the impact of this whole situation, and our job is 62 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 2: certainly to ensure the children are given the best future 63 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: that they can possibly have, So we're mindful of all 64 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 2: of that, and hey, Look, it's like any other occasion 65 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: where we make a documentary. We always operate within the law, 66 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 2: and we also always take on board all the privacy considerations. 67 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 2: This situation is absolutely no different. 68 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: Is it a possibility that you may pullpen on it? 69 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: It's too early hither to comment on at it all. 70 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: You know, I mean that the agreement in place allows 71 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: police to maintain control of any information that has the 72 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 2: potential to be shared. You know, we've shared a lot 73 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: in the last couple of days because that's what a 74 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 2: lot of the public interest. Then the situation is global, 75 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: so you know, we're very very mindful of the impact 76 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: of the information that we share. So it's too early 77 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: to make terminations in that respect. Are you going to 78 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: we also have investigations, of course, we have the investigation ongoing. 79 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: We have Corona investigation, so you know, a long time ago. 80 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, fair enough. Are you going to oppose that suppression 81 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: in court? 82 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 2: Well, look, I need to give hopefully tomorrow, I'll give 83 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: some more thought to that, because I've got my people 84 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 2: thinking about that right now. But we appreciate there's tremendous 85 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: public interest in this situation, so we're very mindful of that, 86 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 2: and you know the public, they've got a right to 87 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 2: know the information. Frankly, whatever that may be. So, but 88 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: at this point undetermined in terms of where we said 89 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 2: on it. We need to give that some thought. 90 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: Okay, did you in the last four years ever come 91 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: across them? Any of your officers ever come across the 92 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: slot in the bush? 93 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 2: Look, we've been working really, really hard for forty years, 94 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: day and night. I've been out there in the field 95 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: with my staff. I've been to their operation base. They've 96 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: put their heart and soul into this for a very 97 00:04:54,480 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: long time. We've we've used a number of tactics. We've 98 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 2: been over we've been covert, we've been you know, we've 99 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 2: done a huge amount of work around this. So the 100 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 2: challenge we've had all the way along is the environment 101 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: that we're operating and a motivated, armed and dangerous person. 102 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: We're very conscious of the safety and will being as 103 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 2: the children. So we've had so many considerations and along 104 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: the way we've had tremendous support from the public. So 105 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 2: in the fullness of time, that puzzle will put together 106 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 2: and we'll share more of what we know in due course. 107 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: Did you come across them in four years in the bush? 108 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 2: Well? Had we come across them in a way we 109 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 2: could have brought to did you come across them? 110 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 1: Did any of your officers come across them in the bush? 111 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 2: No? 112 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: No, never once, never in four years, never once. No. 113 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: We've had lots of information coming through. We've obviously had 114 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 2: images caught on TV. We had all sorts of things. 115 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: I mean, we ask you about and I'm not looking 116 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: to impugne you guys in any way, but there is 117 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: a chap who has gone public today with he spent 118 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: about one thousand hours here records that he came across 119 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: them three times. Is that credible? 120 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 2: I don't know who that persons. But of course if 121 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 2: he's got information that he would liked to share with 122 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 2: the police, then he needs to do the right thing. 123 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:17,799 Speaker 2: So that's all I say. We've appealed for the public 124 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 2: support all the way along, and I'm assuming he has 125 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 2: she had whatever information he has. If he hasn't, then 126 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 2: I think he should probably should. 127 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: All right, Richard, thank you very much, really appreciate your time. 128 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: Richard Chambers a police commissioner. Now, the suppression that I 129 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: was talking about with Richard, just there is an injunction 130 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: that was filed in the High Court last night the kids. 131 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: If you remember yesterday the kids were found around four 132 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: point thirty just after seven. Media were injuncted and prevented 133 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: from publishing certain aspects of the case, which have largely 134 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: up to now been unpublished. Police are also injuncted as 135 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,600 Speaker 1: audung A Tamidiki. The lawyer Linda Clark is acting on 136 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: behalf of the Phillips family and applied for the injunction. 137 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 1: This will be heard again tomorrow in the High Court 138 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: in Wellington. We will be speaking to Karen Shure, the 139 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: Minister for Children, in charge of ordering a somebody key 140 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: after half past five and so I'll talk to her 141 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: about that as well. By the way, sorry I said tomorrow, 142 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: I mean Thursday of course. For more from Heather Duplessy 143 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: Allen Drive, listen live to news Talks it'd be from 144 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.