Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki to announce new political party tomorrow

Bishop Brian Tamaki will reveal a new political party tomorrow. Photo / Michael Craig

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki will tomorrow launch a political party after weighing up a move into politics for "a number of months".

In a statement, he invited media to his church in Auckland to be informed about the party.

"This is not a decision which we have undertaken lightly," he said.

But, because of an "escalating tide of poor decision-making" and the "eroding of New Zealand values by politicians, we feel that we have had no choice but to stand up for the ever-growing silent majority of regular New Zealanders who are becoming more and more fed up and sick of the spin".

His comments come after weeks of speculation he would step into the political ring before next year's election.

Earlier this week, he said on Twitter he might launch a party next week.

He took to Twitter on the back of a review into bullying at Parliament, saying he might launch another party because "whose [sic] dumb enough to vote for that mess".

Today, he said that politics was not a game, nor a popularity contest.

"The fates of our children and our children's children are hugely important, and deserve all possible due consideration.

"It is a privilege and a responsibility to seek to represent the New Zealand people."

He said some people and parties in Parliament had forgotten this "fundamental truth".

"We look forward to reminding them, from now until Election Day 2020, just what it is that the New Zealand people expect of our representatives and leaders."

Tamaki's move into politics is not entirely unexpected as he has been hinting at setting up a party for weeks.

He has repeatedly taken aim at the Government for not allowing Destiny's Man Up programme into prisons.

He has accused top ministers of assaulting his character and at one point, said he was the victim of a "political gang rape".

Questions remain about whether Tamaki himself would lead the party, or be solely its founder.

He told Q&A earlier this month he was tossing up contacting Mana Movement leader Hone Harawira about challenging Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis for his Te Tai Tokerau seat.

Tamaki is not the first person to propose setting up a values-based political party.

National MP Alfred Ngaro this week confirmed he was considering setting up a Christian values Party.

He said he had been approached by "a number of people in the communities up and down the country who were saying 'where have our values gone?'

"…I have been overwhelmed by people talking to me, coming to see me and talking about these values – why are their values not reflected in this House of representatives."