The Government is accused of attempting to ‘gang rape’ Destiny Church leader Bishop Brian Tamaki.
Tamaki made the comments Monday, on Q+A.
Threatening to re-enter politics if nothing is done to stop Māori families suffering and to fix the prison system he said he may need to talk to Hone Harawira about taking Corrections Minister, Kelvin Davis’ Te Tai Tokerau seat.
Calling New Zealand prisons “our rotting dark shame”, Tamaki’s concern is that the Government is not allowing his Man Up programme in prisons.
The programme targets troubled men, particular Māori men, and claims to help to break cycles of violence and repeat offending.
Calling Davis a liar, Tamaki also threatened to call on inmates to revolt if the Government continues to deny the programme.
Saying the justice system is broken, he told Q+A that it’s not him on trial but Kelvin Davis.
Questioned about his comments last week attacking the Government, Tamaki said he would apologise if the Government came to the table.
“Someone needs to have the political courage to stand up in Parliament or in this Government and say, ‘You know what, we’re not going to continue to see our Māori families suffer’.
“I mean we need a change, we can’t leave it like this.
“So if that (political courage) does not happen then maybe I’ll have to ring my mate Hone Harawira up in the north and say, ‘Brother we might have to take this electorate’.”
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis denies Tamaki’s claim that the Government has stifled his attempts for the church to work in prisons.
Instead, he claims Tamaki has not applied through the proper channels.
Tamaki says he tried email, formal letters and talking to ministers.
He says he applied through Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, Justice Minister Andrew Little and Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis himself.
Tamaki says he has spoken with Peters and Little and that both are mystified Davis would not receive his formal approaches.
The Man Up programme is affiliated to Destiny Church.
Sources