STATEMENT FROM BRIAN TAMAKI

In relation to false allegations reported by Samantha Edwards

On a personal note:

Hannah and I are unvaxxed and I’m glad we choose to be. Our 3 married children, 10 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and my parents who are in their 80s, are also all unvaxxed. This is rare...to have a five generational family unvaxxed and united in their stand.

We opposed the Covid-19 vaccine from the outset. Early in the pandemic, when asked about our views we would share our opinion, but we have never intimidated, pushed or forced others to make any decision against their choice. As time rolled on, we (the unvaxxed) have all gained far more information on this poison.

Recently, Hannah and I have both been concerned about how quickly people panicked and judged us so negatively as a result of Counterspin Media’s video with toxic innuendo and straight-up lies. Especially considering we have stood with you against government control and tyranny and we have fiercely fought for all Kiwi's rights and freedoms. For this cause, I have suffered pain and loss while I went to prison for ten days, on 24hr home detention for 69 days, with fines, court cases and costs along with the pressures that come with founding the protest movement of The Freedoms & Rights Coalition, and now the Freedoms NZ umbrella political party to get rid of these Marxists.

I am doing all of this to bring into Parliament honest, gifted, experienced people who love their country. I am doing this all for the sake of our children’s children...mine and yours. For many to treat us in this manner by believing someone who hasn’t done much other than publish vile hate and lies, is despicable. Counterspin Media have lost all integrity with me and I know many, many others.

I am only responding now as it was a long weekend and we have been extremely busy on the road attempting to save our country with public meetings we are holding. These meetings have been full of people ready to rally around the united parties under the Freedoms NZ party vote that represents your voice and your future.

To be clear, Hannah & I have no involvement with any Whanau Ora centres, or operations or it's business, it is a stand-alone business operation, with no business ties to Destiny Church.

Hannah and I have not received any money whatsoever for vaccinations (the thought of it sickens me) from Whanau Ora Medical centres, or from any other source at all (that thought sickens me as well). The very liars that have accused me of this have brought much light on despicable elements within the freedom community.

We are seriously progressing defamation charges against Samantha Edwards and Counterspin Media. This is not my wish, but poisoning the minds of many against us with whatever slurs or lies people come up with because they hate or have difficulty with our success is no longer acceptable or right. Below is the truth. I have put this statement together to be rid of the kangaroo courts that many are trying to subject myself and Hannah to. We have better things to do with our time. I know my haters most likely won’t accept the truth, but my hope is that genuine people who don’t know us personally will immediately appreciate this.

Thank you all.

Here are the facts:

• At no time has Samantha Edwards approached me or my team for the facts on allegations she espouses in her videos. She has not been interested in reporting the truth.

• There has only ever been a TESTING station at 25 Druces Road, never a Covid-19 Vaccination station. Samantha deliberately muddles the use of the words ‘testing’ and ‘vaccination’ stations when she is talking in her videos…and this is deliberate.

• The first testing station began at 25 Druces Road in March 2020 when Covid first hit and very little was known by the church about Covid-19 at that time. A testing station was allowed by the church management team. They are not medical experts as church leaders. The church believed it was assisting a fearful community by providing a testing service.

• The church management team gave Whanau Ora Community Clinic a directive on the 1st March 2021 that there were not to be any Covid vaccinations ever administered on-site. The Director of the Whanau Ora Community Clinic agreed to respect the church’s wishes. It is not our job to police the medical centre’s every move.

• There have been no Covid-19 vaccinations ever conducted onsite at 25 Druces Road. We have again sought confirmation from the medical centre and we are awaiting their response.

• I have never personally benefited from any vaccination money.

• I have never had any part in any business dealings between the church and Whanau Ora Community Clinic. I have no part in the day-to-day business operations of Destiny Church. My focus for many years has been on preaching, teaching, leadership development and vision.

• The property at 25 Druces Road, Manukau is not owned by Destiny Church, but by an unrelated property company called Druces Road Investment Limited.

• The Head Leasee at 25 Druces Road is Te Hahi o nga Matamua Holdings Ltd, a charitable company that administers all property matters for the Destiny Group. With the 25 Druces Road property, THONML purely collects all lease income from the sub-lease tenants and forwards this money to the owner.

• Since 1st January 2016, Transitioning Out Aotearoa Trust (TOA) has sub-leased a portion of the building at 25 Druces Road. This sublease along with lease terms began a long time before COVID-19. We understand TOA provides a range of onsite services including Social Services, Medical Centres, Restorative Justice, Holiday Programmes, Smokefree programmes and more.

• The Whanau Ora Community Clinic is completely autonomous of the church – I do not know anything about how this entity is set up. We have no say over it, and they have no say over the church operations.

• Destiny Church has been one of the very few churches that vocally opposed the vaccine throughout the entire pandemic. Here are examples of media reports during this time where the church was prompting the public to consider relying on their faith, not a vaccine: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/03/coronavirus-destiny-church-sign-promotes-vaccine-of-faith-hope-love-right-next-to-covid-19-testing-station.html

NEWSHUB HEADLINE:

• Brian & Hannah Tamaki were publicly ridiculed on many occasions for their stance against the COVID-19 vaccination:

• We have sent a ‘please explain’ email to the Whanau Ora Director about the phone call Sam refers to in her video, where she spoke to Whanau Ora staff about vaccinations.

• After 40 years of living a clean life, I have a modest lifestyle. I own one house with a mortgage on it. Hannah and I own two cars (one each). We own one motorcycle. I recently received my Kiwisaver fund payout when I turned 65 yrs old which has allowed me to do a few things recently like travel overseas.

• Our church records show Samantha was only briefly in the church between 2008 & 2009 – I do not recall her. She is not a credible voice on any matters relating to Destiny Church.

• I should not be held accountable by association for the actions of others, including George Ngatai & Raewyn Bhana, Bishop Eddie Long, Derek Tait and more. Any questions relating to their activities need to be directed to them.

• George Ngatai and Raewyn Bhana are members of Destiny Church. They do not hold leadership or influential roles.

• We have addressed Derek Tait regarding his social media comments.

• The motives behind Samantha’s video are questionable and rumours of political interference are currently being investigated by people skilled in this area.