Investigation reveals former Gloriavale members were pressured to sign legal documents

Thursday, 12 August 2021

RNZ's podcast The Detail looks at what it takes to leave Gloriavale, the West Coast Christian community, when you’ve been taught to fear and hate the outside world.

Former residents of Gloriavale have revealed there were mass signings of a “commitment document” under duress, during dinner, with no time to read or understand what they were signing.

In a Labour Inspectorate report released to Stuff, leavers of the secretive West Coast community told investigators they did not know or care what was in documents they were signing and were pressured from the leadership group to sign without legal advice.

The inspectorate investigated the employment status of people living and working at Gloriavale in 2017 after concerns raised by Charities Services, and again last year after allegations of long working hours were made by two community members.

It concluded members could not be classed as employees and there would be no further investigation or enforcement action.

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Many of the leavers interviewed for the report described their working status while living in the community as employment or slavery.

Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust general manager and support worker Liz Gregory was not surprised leavers’ recollections of experiences differed from those who remain in the community.

Among the documents those living at Gloriavale sign are a declaration of commitment, which is “legally binding” and designed to uphold the community's values and encourage adhere to its rules, the inspectorate said.

Those working in its business ventures also sign a partnership agreement, effectively giving them a stake in the organisation.

The inspectorate found the legal documents clearly showed an intention to create a relationship other than employment, and said the commitment document outlined the intention for an individual to give their service to the community without the expectation of payment in return.

While the 13 leavers interviewed said the documents were signed under duress or undue influence, there was a marked difference in what inspectors were told from those still living at Gloriavale.

However, four out of 39 current members expressed unhappiness with their work situation, but all said they had received legal advice from an independent lawyer and had the opportunity to read, ask questions and understand documentation before signing it.

They all said they did not want to be identified and would not be willing to speak out against the community.

The investigation also revealed up to 300 people have left Gloriavale, with 185 walking away from the West Coast community since 2013.

In spite of finding Gloriavale members could not be classified as employees, the inspectorate accepted concerns remained, particularly around the “relative” lack of experience or information in relation to the outside world.

A report reveals up to 300 members have left the Gloriavale community.

The report went on to state the lack of experience could affect the ability of members to make informed choices.

Gloriavale Leavers Trust manager Liz Gregory said it was no surprise that the experience of those inside the community and those who had left were markedly different.

“While you are living in there you are not allowed to express an opinion.”

She questioned if employment status should be determined by what people said it was rather than the reality of the lived experience.

“It’s only after you leave that you realise the life you were living wasn’t quite what was advertised.”