WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The Charities Registration Board announced Tuesday that the charitable status of the Gloriavale Christian sect’s trust will be revoked for three years, beginning Sept. 23. The decision follows an investigation that found the trust’s funds enabled serious wrongdoing, including the use of child labor and the non‑reporting of sexual offenses.

Background on Gloriavale

Gloriavale is a conservative Christian community of about 600 members living on a large ranch on New Zealand’s South Island. Residents work as volunteers in businesses owned by the Christian Church Community Trust, which also runs the sect’s school and daycare centers.

The sect has long been the subject of public concern. Former leader Howard Temple was convicted in 2025 of sexually abusing girls and women aged 9 to 20 over two decades. A 2022 employment‑court ruling determined that former members were unpaid employees, not volunteers, and that children as young as six were forced to work full‑time under harsh conditions.

Board’s rationale

Board chair Jane Wrightson said the trust’s funds allowed the community to operate in ways that were unlawful and inconsistent with the wellbeing of trust beneficiaries. While the Board acknowledges the community’s right to exist as a religious minority in a free and democratic society, it emphasized that its role is to regulate the trust, not the faith group itself.

The Board cited the employment‑court findings and the failure to report sexual crimes at the trust‑owned school as key reasons for deregistration, stating that the seriousness, scale and duration of the misconduct warranted the action in the public interest.

Potential impact and response

The revocation removes tax‑exempt privileges from the trust’s businesses, which include large‑scale farming and a charter‑flight operation, as well as government funding for its school and daycare centers. The future financial impact on the community remains uncertain.

Gloriavale’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The trust may appeal the Board’s decision.

Broader context

New Zealand rarely strips religious groups of charity status for organizational misconduct. The move follows the Ministry of Education’s recent decision to revoke the sect’s school registration over concerns for student safety. The school, serving about 80 students, remains open while legal processes continue.

Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.