Labour call for Destiny Church, including its Christchurch branch, to lose charity status

Labour MP for Te Atatū, Phil Twyford, has formally requested that Destiny Church be stripped of its charitable status.

Twyford has written to Charities Services, alleging that Destiny Church has engaged in “serious wrongdoing” under the Charities Act 2005, which could warrant the removal of its tax-deductible charity status.

The call comes after a violent protest on February 15, where Destiny Church members disrupted a community event at the Te Atatū Peninsula Community Centre.

The protest targeted a children’s storytime event hosted by Auckland Council and led by a drag artist as part of Pride Week celebrations.

According to police and witness accounts, church followers forced their way into the centre, physically assaulting council staff and bystanders.

Approximately 30 young children, toddlers, and their families had to be barricaded inside the centre for safety.

One teenage girl, attending a separate sporting event, reportedly suffered a concussion during the altercation.

“This violent, oppressive behaviour targeted a peaceful community event in my electorate,” Twyford said.

“Destiny’s actions meet the legal definition of serious wrongdoing under the Charities Act and should result in the loss of their tax-deductible status.”

Twyford also accused Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki of inciting the violent protest and spreading discriminatory rhetoric.

Tamaki publicly admitted to directing the protest and made statements linking the children’s event to child abuse and pornography—claims Twyford described as malicious and baseless.

The complaint outlines several alleged breaches of the Charities Act, including:

•Engaging in oppressive and improperly discriminatory behaviour.

•Conduct that could constitute a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment for two years or more.

•Targeting individuals based on their gender identity, reflecting an ongoing pattern of harassment against the LGBTQ+ community.

Twyford’s complaint also extends to Destiny Church’s various subsidiary trusts across New Zealand, including branches in Christchurch, Hamilton, Wellington, and Tauranga. He argued that these entities should be considered complicit by association.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown condemned the actions as “completely unacceptable,” stating that while freedom of speech is a right, intimidation of council staff and community members is out of line.

Police are continuing their investigation into the incident, with potential assault charges pending against some participants. Acting Waitematā District Commander Inspector Simon Walker said the protest had “crossed a line” and was strongly condemned by law enforcement.

Tamaki hits back at councils

In response to the criticism, Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki lashed out at local councils, accusing them of misusing public funds.

“I call them the cartel of councils in this country that are abusing public funds—money that could go to helping our health system, which is in crisis, fixing our roads, or providing better housing for young Kiwi families,” Tamaki said.

“Instead, millions of dollars are being spent on a minority group—4.9% of the population—sucking up valuable dollars that hard-working New Zealanders earn every day.”

Tamaki went further, “I don’t think anyone wants their hard-earned money funding perversions or the sexualisation of children. That’s the irony of this woke agenda—it uses public funds to push what I see as a desecration of our greatest treasure: our children.”

Local Christchurch MPs speak out

Speaking to Chris Lynch Media, Ilam MP Hamish Campbell said “No Kiwi should feel intimidated, regardless of which group is behind it.

“Whether Destiny Church should lose its charitable status is not up to us—that’s a matter for the Department of Internal Affairs. However, we need to be cautious about punishing charities based on their ideology.”

Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said “The idea that a group can intimidate people, disrupt public events, and still enjoy the benefits of charitable status is unacceptable,” Webb said. “We need stronger oversight—if groups can behave like that without consequences, something is clearly wrong.”

The MPs also addressed comments made by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, who reportedly wrote on social media, “Make New Zealand straight again.”

Campbell said such rhetoric was damaging and should be challenged.

“New Zealand is a diverse society, and every Kiwi should feel welcome and free from discrimination,” Campbell said. “Free speech doesn’t mean harmful rhetoric should go unchallenged.”

Supporters of Destiny Church have accused critics of hypocrisy, pointing to the violent clashes that erupted when Posie Parker attempted to speak at an Auckland park.

In March 2023, British activist Posie Parker—real name Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull—visited New Zealand as part of her international “Let Women Speak” tour, which aimed to “advocate for women’s rights” and express concerns over transgender issues.

Her planned appearance at Albert Park, however, was met with intense opposition and sparked violent clashes.