# Another significant court victory for Gloriavale Leavers. The Employment Court has found the Labour Inspector made “numerous reviewable errors” in its handling of concerns about work and workers at Gloriavale.

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.

Read More on [Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust website >>>](https://www.gloriavaleleavers.org.nz/daily-vale/another-court-win-gloriavale-leavers-succeed-in-judicial-review-against-labour-inspectorate/)

Read the [full judgement here >>>](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d9zh9i7tywgxx3aniwcz7/2026.08.12-EMPC-86-2025-Courage-Pilgrim-v-Attorney-General-Ors-Judgment-on-Judicial-Review.pdf?rlkey=rv6behr1jjgfv9x7b2in1p4od&dl=0)

"Another Court Win! Gloriavale Leavers Succeed in Judicial Review Against Labour Inspectorate", Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust, 13 August 2026