The barrister who led a legal challenge against Gloriavale is hitting out at the Government over its lack of action.
It comes after the Employment Court ruled three Gloriavale leavers were in fact employees, not volunteers.
Chief Judge Christina Inglis released her reserved decision on Tuesday into whether the leavers were employees of the West Coast Christian community or not.
The Labour Inspectorate had previously classified the workers as volunteers, however, Tuesday's ruling proved that wrong.
The former members were Hosea Courage, Levi Courage and Daniel Pilgrim, who were all born in Gloriavale.
During a hearing in February, Courage said he was hit with a shovel handle and denied food for not working fast enough as a six-year-old.
In her decision, Judge Inglis found the leavers were employees from the age of six until they left Gloriavale.
The Government has indicated it might intervene at the community after the ruling, but it was too little too late for Brian Henry, who is representing the leavers.
"I don't know how but the Labour Inspectorate did a report saying they weren't employees and that gobsmacked me," Henry told Newshub at 8pm.
"There has been for a long time a joint committee to deal with Gloriavale and it has done nothing. I'm sorry but it has just done nothing. You have got child issues here, where are the social welfare agencies?
"We know where the Labour Inspectorate was, as the judge said loud alarm bells should come from reading the cursory 'What We Believe' document - they [Labour Inspectorate] had a copy of that. It is unbelievable that these agencies have done nothing."
Judge Inglis noted the Labour Inspectorate had copies of Gloriavale's internal document called 'What We Believe', showing leaders had absolute power and should not talk to external agencies.
"Loud alarm bells ought, in my view, to have been ringing," she said.
Henry said the police are trying their best but a culture of silence within the community makes it incredibly difficult for them.
On Tuesday Workplace Relations Minister Michael Wood told Newshub he will meet with different agencies on Wednesday in response to the ruling.
He said the Labour Inspectorate will need to be involved, but as it relates to the rights of children, it may also involve Oranga Tamariki and the Police.
"There are very, very concerning claims and findings here and we need to make sure there is a firm response," Wood said.
A spokesperson for the Attorney-General David Parker told Newshub that Crown Law is in the process of digesting and reviewing the decision to determine which agencies need to respond to address the concerns.
