'Disgusted and ashamed': Brian Tamaki hits out at Government over prison policy

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has hit out at the Government and Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis over their prison policy.

He said they had ignored the church's "Man Up" programme that he said was "one of the most successful" at rehabilitating former prisoners and stopping crime in the first place.

The Government has announced plans for a new 500-bed facility at Waikeria to help relieve pressure on the bursting prison system, plus another 100 beds at what Davis is calling a "first-of-its-kind" mental health facility.

The 600-bed prison was be completed by early 2022 and was expected to cost about $750 million.

But Tamaki said the policies weren't getting to the root of the problem and slammed the Government's plans as a waste of "money and man power".

Brian Tamaki has hit out at the government over its prison policies. Photo / File

"I'm disappointed, disgusted and ashamed at the way that our Government has been handling the prison situation," he said in a Facebook video.

"The numbers that are incarcerated, the problems with having to spend so much taxpayers' money on building bigger prisons and adding beds, the costs go on and on and on.

"Its not getting to the root of our problem."

Tamaki said Destiny Church's Man Up programme, which focuses on tackling family violence, depression, obesity, addiction and suicide would cost taxpayers nothing, despite "having the most success of any rehabilitation programme".

Destiny Church says its "Man-Up" programme is helping thousands of men, including former gang members, improve social behaviour and help tackle domestic violence. Photo supplied by Destiny Church

"Man Up has been one of the most successful programmes going now to rehabilitate not only men coming out of prison but also proventing the crime happening. These lives are changing. Thousands of lives..."

But Tamaki said Davis wouldn't attend Destiny's hui or communicate with the church.

"The discrimination, the locked doors and the closed nature of the government towards us right now has gone too far."

"We have hundreds of these groups all across New Zealand and Australia that's having incredible success with gang members with prisoners and ex-prisoners and families that are in trouble.

"I don't know what the threat is, but I know we can help significantly."