Brian Tamaki railed against the political establishment during the sermon. Photo / Apostle Brian Tamaki
Brian Tamaki railed against the political establishment during the sermon. Photo / Apostle Brian Tamaki
Destiny Church founder Brian Tamaki has asked his followers to "lease their vote", promising to advocate for them and lobby politicians as part of a "people's political movement".
Tamaki outlined his plan in a sermon streamed to Facebook on Monday night, saying: "This political establishment in New Zealand is over."
Tamaki had a live audience for the online sermon, who cheered along as he preached.
Referring to the book of Samuel, Tamaki said it was time to "transition from an old order to a new order" by telling politicians to "be quiet".
"What we have in New Zealand in this Parliament is an absolute joke, it's a mess and it's had its day."
He claimed that "old politics" was "finished" and namechecked a series of New Zealand politicians including Winston Peters, Jacinda Ardern, David Seymour and Christopher Luxon, who he referred to as "Humpty Dumpty".
Tamaki said it was time for New Zealand to move beyond a constant electoral "see-saw" between National and Labour and called for his followers to embrace his new movement.
He said politicians were not leaders, but "vote suckers" who shifted policy to win votes like "slithering snakes".
"Our best politicians are right under our nose. The best people that should be in politics are not, we haven't got the best people in there at all."
"The vote that you hold is one of the most powerful assets you have in your possession. That vote is your children. That vote is your grandchildren. That vote is your great-grandchildren."
Brian Tamaki railed against the political establishment during the sermon. Photo / Apostle Brian Tamaki
"What we should be doing is changing the way that we treat our vote," Tamaki told his flock, before outlining his plan.
"I have a suggestion about your vote and I call it 'lease your vote'," he said, going on to describe a "people's political movement" where followers pledge support to the Freedom and Rights Coalition, allowing them to lobby politicians to pursue policies that the group supports.
He said voting once every three years was a waste if voters did not hold politicians to account in the intervening years.
"The old regime is party," he said. "The new regime is people".
Those texting the number are directed to the Freedom and Rights Coalition website where they are invited to join a "Freedom Connect Group" in their local electorate.
"The Parliament protest may have been stamped out by the Government's enforcement squad (also known as the NZ Police), but we need to press on and continue the fight in the face of tyranny and corruption," the message on the site reads.
"It's time for WE THE PEOPLE to take the power back. It's time that we tell politicians how our country will be run!"
Following online claims that the faithful were being charged for texting the number, the Freedom and Rights Coalition said they did not benefit in any way.
"We can confirm that TFRC receives no money from any texts sent," a spokesperson told the Herald.
"Users are only charged standard text rates as set by their individual service providers, ie. Spark, Vodafone etc.
"The purpose of this text campaign is solely to provide them with the link to sign up for our new political movement."
In the hour-long sermon, Tamaki trumpeted his own success as a preacher and family man and told followers that men of God needed to be "obeyed".
"Obey. Obey. Obey. Obey," Tamaki said, again referencing the Bible.
"What an unfashionable word in our day. People don't like me because they think that I'm an authoritarian that wants to rule and have an iron fist over a movement...but 'obey', the Bible is clear to obey those who are over you.
"So those who are over you you're not supposed to just pray for but obey.
"Obey those leaders who fight for you, who are protecting and looking after your soul."
Elsewhere in the sermon, Tamaki shared some of his own political beliefs.
Making clear he was not aiming for political office, he said he wanted NZ's official religion to be Christianity - and for all other religions to be outlawed.
He also said that Parliament had invited in a "false God" by including Muslim prayer in the wake of the Christchurch mosque massacre.
He also floated the idea of an independent South Island, saying they could retain links with the North while pursuing their own path.
