Claims of exploitation at Gloriavale continue to go unheard as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says it's out of their jurisdiction.
A group of former followers believes it and current Gloriavale residents have been exploited - but the Ministry says other agencies will have to investigate.
Gloriavale members are hard at work - but they're not employees, according to a report commissioned by MBIE.
Isaac Pilgrim was born in the commune.
"When I was 14, I was doing 10-12 hour days, six days a week," he said.
He worked there for 23 years.
"They're coming out with nothing but the clothes on their back and they've worked really hard in there," said Liz Gregory, Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust manager.
The report into Gloriavale's businesses is the second from the Labour Inspectorate, with both coming to the same conclusion.
The first report didn't satisfy the then-Workplace Relations Minister Andrew Little, who called for a review.
"I certainly was left uncomfortable with the conclusion that these are volunteer workers, because they don't look like volunteer workers to me," Little said.
But the Labour Inspectorate disagreed again, saying "people who have lived or are living at Gloriavale gave service to the community without expectation of being paid as individuals".
"This time we're confident that we've done a robust investigation and our conclusions are correct," said MBIE.
That means allegations of exploitation by Isaac Pilgrim and other leavers will not be investigated by MBIE, as it's out of their jurisdiction.
"I was never asked to volunteer," he said. "Looking back at it now, the difference between that and being a slave was not much."
The leavers' experience is not invalidated by this decision from MBIE, it just says that MBIE isn't the right place to look at the issues of exploitation, child labour or unsafe working conditions.
Pilgrim and the Gloriavale leavers will continue the fight for themselves and those still at Gloriavale.
"To leave and see the life that you could've had - it's like that was stolen from you," he said.
After three years on the outside, he's still working hard - but now he's gainfully employed as a plumber.
"I love getting paid now, it's great."
