Gloriavale’s Christian Church Community Trust loses charitable status
The Charities Registration Board has deregistered Gloriavale's trust over serious wrongdoing including child labour and governance failures.
What happened
Gloriavale's Christian Church Community Trust has been stripped of its charitable status by the Charities Registration Board following an investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs. The deregistration takes effect from 23 September and follows findings of child labour from age six in trust-owned businesses, work in harsh and dangerous conditions, failures to protect children and workers, and the internal handling and non-reporting of sexual offending against a child at the trust-owned school. Former leader Howard Temple has been disqualified from holding governance roles in other charities for five years. The board found the trust's funding supported the Gloriavale community to operate in unlawful ways inconsistent with the wellbeing of beneficiaries. While the trust had implemented recent changes including independent trustees and strengthened safeguarding, the board concluded the seriousness, scale and duration of governance failures warranted deregistration in the public interest. The trust cannot reapply for charitable registration for three years.
Why it matters
This decision follows the Education Ministry's cancellation of Gloriavale Christian School's registration on 3 September 2026 and its move to close the school. The charitable trust deregistration represents a further step in regulatory action against Gloriavale's governance and operations, building on the findings about the school and its handling of safeguarding that prompted the school closure.
Follow the whole thread: Gloriavale school registration closure
Key facts
- Gloriavale Christian Church Community Trust deregistered effective 23 September 2026
- Child labour found from age six in trust-owned businesses
- Howard Temple disqualified from governance roles for five years
- Trust cannot reapply for charitable status for three years
- Trust had net assets of $47 million when registered in May 2008
What happens next
The trust can lodge an appeal against the deregistration decision.
Primary source: Charities Registration Board decision to deregister the Christian Church Community Trust
Covered byRNZStuffNZ Herald1NewsNewstalk ZBOtago Daily TimesBusinessDeskNot covered byNewsroomThe Spinoffinterest.co.nz
Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.
Where the outlets differ
NZ Herald reports Temple was sentenced to 26 months prison in December for decades of sex offending, and that his lawyer filed a High Court appeal within minutes of the decision; it also details a specific 2022 disciplinary tribunal case involving a teacher's abuse of a nine-year-old girl. Otago Daily Times names the Charities Registration Board chair Jane Wrightson and includes her statements on complexity and public interest. 1News emphasises that the current trustees have worked hard to effect change. BusinessDesk focuses narrowly on the deregistration duration and reason without the broader context.
What outlets are saying
RNZ
Gloriavale's Christian Church Community Trust loses charity status
The decision follows an investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs.
1News
'Bittersweet' win after decade-long fight over Gloriavale trust
An advocate for Gloriavale leavers says it has been a long time coming after the religious community lost its charitable status.
Otago Daily Times
Gloriavale's Christian Church Community Trust loses charity status
Stuff
Child labour from age six among findings as Gloriavale Trust loses charity status
Gloriavale’s trust has been deregistered for three years after regulators found serious wrongdoing involving gross negligence and mismanagement.
NZ Herald
Gloriavale trust stripped of charitable status over governance failures
Former leader Howard Temple has been barred after decades of sexual offending.
BusinessDesk
Gloriavale Trust deregistered for serious wrongdoing
The Charities Registration Board has announced the deregistration of the Gloriavale Trust for a period of three years due to serious wrongdoing. The trust, which governs and administers the commonly owned assets of the Gloriavale community, was found to have…
Newstalk ZB
Sue Barker: Charity Law Association director on Gloriavale losing their charitable status following investigation
There's belief Gloriavale's trust has already faced consequences for serious conduct, including child labour, and deregistration is 'excessive'.