Media Insider: Reality TV legend Dame Julie Christie producing Tom Phillips documentary – crew receives exclusive access behind police cordons; police commissioner questioned on whether it should proceed

Christie herself has been at the scene this week of the Phillips confrontation in Waikato, alongside several members of her documentary crew, including at least one camera operator and former TV3 journalist Karen Rutherford.

A documentary cameraman, believed to be linked to producer Dame Julie Christie, follows Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers and Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders near the scene where Tom Phillips died. Photo / Michael Craig

One journalist told Media Insider that members of the crew had been allowed through the cordon on Tuesday evening and, for at least two hours, were working at the scene where Phillips shot a police constable at close range, before the father-of-three was shot dead by other officers.

Christie herself was behind the cordons, the journalist said.

The crew had also been given up-close, exclusive access to senior officers during the day, the journalist said.

With the story of the Phillips family attracting global headlines and interest, the Herald understands that the documentary, which has been in the works for many months, has an international network lined up, of the likes of Netflix or similar.

The Herald called Christie – one of our most renowned TV producers who now heads production firm NHNZ Worldwide – on Tuesday evening to discuss the documentary, but she did not pick up.

In a response to a follow-up text message, she wrote: “I’ve been doing police follow docs for 32 years. We’ve been working on this one all year and through much of the investigation. It’s really important to me.”

She did not respond to a follow-up question about whether the documentary was for Netflix.

Christie is one of New Zealand’s most successful business leaders – a former newspaper sub-editor who later developed her own television company (Touchdown) and took many of her reality TV hits, including Treasure Island, to the world.

TV producer Dame Julie Christie at a police checkpoint in Waikato this week. Photo / Michael Craig

Growing irritation

The Herald understands there is growing irritation among some media representatives on the ground in Waikato, concerned about the access that Christie and her crew are receiving.

“The kind of talk that’s happening between all the reporters is why is this allowed to happen?” said one journalist. “We’re here for the public interest. They’re there to make money. Why would the police be giving them such access? Maybe it’s because the police are able to control the narrative somewhat.”

Police media and communications acting executive director Claire Trevett said in a statement on Wednesday morning: “We have had a follow-TV film crew from NHNZ Productions with our Op Curly team for most of this year.

“As with all documentary or reality TV filming inside our operations, we have formal agreements that give police final say over any broadcast content, with all filming required to comply with any court orders or privacy laws. This production is not allowed to be broadcast before the completion of any IPCA, coronial or other inquiry,” she said.

“We have only agreed to the police participation in this work – and the production company is responsible for their own requests of any other individuals.”

Police Commisioner Richard Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell address the media at Waikato Hospital, where an officer is recovering from gunshot wounds after being shot by Tom Phillips. Photo / Mike Scott

The point that police have the power to veto any documentary content was also confirmed by Police Commissioner Richard Chambers on Newstalk ZB on Tuesday evening.

He was asked by ZB Drive host Heather du Plessis-Allan whether police would proceed with the documentary.

“We get approaches all the time from documentary makers … agreements are put in place that we retain control over content,” said Chambers. “This is no different on this occasion; we’ll give that thought going forward. Certainly [it is] a situation that has got a lot of global interest, that’s for sure.”

Du Plessis-Allan: “Richard, how, how can you go ahead with the documentary? You’ve got kids here who are traumatised, one of whom watched the father being shot, and it’s not to say that that wasn’t the right thing to do. But these kids need to get on with their lives, and if a documentary is released in years to come, it will only re-traumatise them and bring this all back up for them, won’t it?”

Chambers: “We’re very mindful of the impact of this whole situation … our job is to certainly ensure that the children are given the best future that they can possibly have. So we’re mindful of all of that. It’s like any other occasion where we make a documentary; we always operate within the law, and we also always take on board all the privacy considerations. This situation is absolutely no different.”

Dame Julie Christie and a cameraman at the scene near where Tom Phillips was shot. Photo / Mike Scott

Du Plessis-Allan: “Is it a possibility that you may pull the pin on it?”

Chambers: “It’s too early to comment on that at all. The agreement in place allows police to maintain control of any information that has the potential to be shared. We’ve shared a lot [generally] in the last couple of days … the public interest in the situation is global. We’re very, very mindful of the impact of the information that we share. So it’s too early to make determinations in that respect. We also have investigations ongoing … a long time to go.”

Police Minister’s position

Police Minister Mark Mitchell indicated today he did not have an issue with the Christie documentary, but the priority was the welfare and support for Tom Phillips’ children.

“They’ve been making a doco and following the story now for a while,” Mitchell told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.

“They’ve gone through all the correct protocols and made sure that they have done things the right way.

“Of course, there are some things they have access to – some areas and some people – and obviously, where it’s appropriate, access is blocked. From what I understand, they’ve gone through all the correct protocols to be able to do that.”

Kill doco ‘immediately’ – HDPA

In her own opinion piece last night, du Plessis-Allan told listeners that the documentary needed to be “killed off immediately”.

“I do not blame the police for saying yes to this documentary in the first place.

“If it hadn’t ended this way – with Tom Phillips trying to kill a police officer and then being shot dead in response in front of his daughter – it might have actually been a good idea to do this documentary.

“It might have shown the efforts that the police have gone to over the last four years to track him down, the consideration that they’ve put into it, the care that they’ve taken. It might actually have been really good PR for the police.

“But now, what it is, is mainly just a threat to these kids’ future.

“It is going to be hard enough for these children to find a way to be normal in a country that is obsessed with what has happened to them over the last four years.

“By the time that this documentary comes out – it might be two years, five years, 10 years, who knows, because documentaries aren’t put together fast – who knows?”

Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.