By Mike Bain- The Daily Examiner
Is this an example of religious persecution for standing up for standards in New Zealand?
As Labour Party MP Phil Twyford writes to the charities regulator asking for Destiny Church to be struck off, alleging the church engaged in wrongdoing.
“The West Auckland Police are investigating the conduct of Destiny Church at Te Atatū Peninsula Library last month and have yet to arrest anybody for wrongdoing.
Charities Services have confirmed to me they are investigating my call for Destiny charities to be deregistered for serious wrongdoing. It is time the Government now rules out the Police or any other government agency referring people to Destiny Church or their subsidiaries,” Phil Twyford said.
Labour rainbow community spokesperson Shanan Halbert said, “Mark Mitchell promised that New Zealanders would feel safer under this government, but the Rainbow community has felt under attack. More than 100 incidents of hate against the community are reported monthly under his watch, but he he has declined to declare how many are related to Destiny Church. It’s time for him to take action.”
The New Zealand Police have ceased referring individuals to Destiny Church’s Man Up and Legacy programmes following disruptions at the Auckland Pride Festival.
During the festival, members of the Man Up programme reportedly interrupted an event at Te Atatū’s library, where a drag king was reading a children’s book about rainbows. Witnesses stated that approximately 30 people were barricaded in a room during the incident.
The Man Up and Legacy programmes were previously part of the police’s AWHI initiative, a voluntary referral system aimed at preventing crime and harm by connecting individuals with community service providers. However, after a review, the police decided to remove these programmes from the AWHI system, citing a commitment to serving diverse communities and the need to find alternative providers.
In response, Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki defended the programmes, claiming they help restore families and address cycles of crime, violence, and addiction.
He criticized the decision, stating there was no investigation, charges, or evidence of wrongdoing.
The Man Up programme, affiliated with Destiny Church, is a 10-week initiative designed to support men in addressing personal challenges and fostering positive change.
It focuses on helping men identify and overcome issues such as violence, addiction, and emotional struggles. The programme emphasizes the importance of healing and restoring men to their roles as responsible family members and community contributors. Man Up operates across New Zealand and internationally, with a mission to transform lives and strengthen families.
