Arise Church to pay former interns more than $170,000
Tuesday 29 September 2026 · 3 outlets · 3 reports · updated In this story Labour Inspectorate
Arise Church will pay $173,869.56 in arrears to four former interns following a Labour Inspectorate investigation. The Employment Relations Authority issued a consent determination after it was found the individuals were employees rather than volunteers. The church admitted its internship programme implementation fell short.
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Arise Church will pay $173,869.56 in arrears to four former interns after an investigation determined they were employees rather than volunteers. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) issued a consent determination recording the agreement, which includes an acknowledgement that the church breached minimum employment standards. The Labour Inspectorate will distribute the funds to the former interns.
Founding pastor John Cameron has reached a separate agreement with the inspectorate, accepting he was involved in the breaches and offering an apology. While both the church and Cameron have accepted that penalties are appropriate, the ERA has yet to issue a consent determination for Cameron or decide on the final penalties.
The Labour Inspectorate began its investigation in 2022 following a complaint regarding the church's internship programme.
Compiled from reports by 1News, Stuff and NZ Herald.