Radio host meets his Destiny

A leading radio show host claims he was verbally abused by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki after a heated on-air interview.

Newstalk ZB host Mike Yardley told the Herald on Sunday that Mr Tamaki directed "highly offensive abuse" at him while off-air during the heated 23-minute interview.

He refused to disclose the exact nature of the abusive comments - but sources said they included various four-letter expletives and personal abuse.

Tamaki did not return calls from the Herald on Sunday yesterday.

The interview aired on Mr Yardley's Christchurch-based morning talkshow on Wednesday, July 20.

Mr Tamaki had given a talk at the Christchurch Town Hall the previous night as part of his countrywide 'Nation Under Siege' tour, in which he preaches that the media are "a modern-day witchcraft".

Mr Yardley said he was taken aback by the off-air barrage, which did not seem consistent with Mr Tamaki's position as a newly ordained bishop.

The radio host had asked a series of stinging questions during the interview, including how much money Mr Tamaki earned from the church, why Destiny followers had been charged high prices to attend his ordination, and whether it was appropriate for him to pose clasping a sword in promotional posters.

As the interview progressed, Mr Tamaki seemed to grow increasingly exasperated with the line of questioning, repeatedly requesting that Mr Yardley should drop the "silly questions" and ask him instead about the moral predicament of the nation. Mr Yardley said Mr Tamaki and his minders appeared aggrieved that he had not received "unfettered access on-air to essentially preach from the mount".

"He seemed to find being challenged quite extraordinary, as if that's something that he never considered would have happened when he came to us."

But Mr Yardley said he did not hold a grudge against Mr Tamaki: "I'm mindful that in the heat of the moment we can all say things we might regret."

Newstalk ZB Christchurch operations manager Tim Dyer said he had received both positive and negative correspondence about the interview, but had not received any formal broadcasting complaints.

Complaints about on-air content must be sent to the media outlet concerned before they can be referred to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

WHAT THEY SAID

Excerpts from Mike Yardley's interview with Brian Tamaki, Newstalk ZB Christchurch, Wednesday 20 July:

On ushers ejecting a protester from Tamaki's speech the previous night:

Yardley: "You have no concerns about these kind of sideshows that reinforce a perception some people have that you generate a grievance?"

Tamaki: "Sideshow, Mike? It was a well-organised meeting, it was not a sideshow. I've been around for over 20 years preaching this message, Mike, and it's been consistently there and our meetings are run well. It's not a sideshow."

On Tamaki's recent ordination:

Yardley: "Why are you a bishop? Why didn't you become ordained?"

Tamaki: "It's the same question, why are you a radio announcer?"

Yardley: Well, no, can I just finish my question? Why weren't you ordained a cardinal? Why didn't you go the whole hog and become a pope?

On the $70 tickets for the ordination:

Yardley: "Why is it appropriate to charge people through the nose for an ordination?"

Tamaki: "It's not through the nose. You charge people to go through the gate to watch rugby matches, to watch some of the shows. I just saw somebody come into your office to buy tickets."

Yardley: "But are you a performer? Are you an entertainer? Or are you a bishop?"

On posters sold at the ordination showing Tamaki posing with a sword:

Yardley: "Who do you think you are?

Tamaki: "Actually Mike if you ask a question that is proper and nice then viewers will be able to find out who I really am, so let's start asking good questions."

- Herald on Sunday