Focus Live: Immigration, abortion and party funding - NZ Herald's Will Trafford has a one on one with Destiny's Hannah Tamaki.
Hannah Tamaki, the wife of controversial Destiny Church leader Bishop Brian Tamaki, is to lead a new "Coalition New Zealand" political party.
The new party would not be a Christian party, but would be aimed at a "silent majority" of New Zealanders who are believed to be unhappy with wheresociety is heading.
It would promote strong "family values", Hannah Tamaki said at the party's launch this afternoon, in a speech which strongly criticised the current Government.
"Let it be clear, Coalition Party is not a Christian Party."
It will be a party "for all New Zealanders. You do not need to be a Christian to be marginalised in this society" or to be concerned about its direction.
The campaign would follow a two-pronged strategy of contesting specific electorates while also aiming for a party vote over 5 per cent, Tamaki said.
But she did not announce which seats the party would contest or name the candidates who would be standing - and husband Brian said he had not decided whether to stand.
Funding would come purely from membership of the party and the community, not from Destiny Church members.
Destiny has "quite a few thousand" members at the moment, Tamaki said, although she said non-members and non-Christians had also sent messages of support.
There has been speculation that Hone Harawira would stand for a Destiny Church party, contesting Te Tai Tokerau against Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis. Davis, who is Minister of Corrections, has been embroiled in an ongoing spat with the Tamakis over the church's Man Up programme being denied access to prisons.
Hannah Tamaki did not confirm the Harawira rumours but added Davis was "not safe" in his seat.
Hannah Tamaki has issued a warning to Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis, saying he is "not safe" in his Te Tai Tokerau seat. Photo / John Stone
"I have a message for Alfred Ngaro," Tamaki said. "I do not know you. You seem like a reasonable man looking for somewhere to call home."
Despite some differing views, she suspects they share many ideas and invited Ngaro to "come and sit with me."
Destiny Church's press liaison officer Anne Williamson will be party secretary and chair of the policy group, while close friend Jevan Goulter - who is openly gay - will play a key role in the campaign and supporting the leader.
Tamaki will be focusing this year on letting New Zealanders get to know her better.
Destiny Church's Hannah Tamaki will lead the new political party Coalition New Zealand. Photo / Doug Sherring
In 2005 the Destiny New Zealand party, led by Brian Tamaki's right-hand man Richard Lewis, campaigned on a centre-right platform. It gained just 0.62 per cent of the vote.
In 2008 a new Family Party, again supported by Destiny Church and headed by Lewis, gained only 0.35 per cent of the vote. Lewis has since split from the church.
Asked why she thought her party would succeed when other small parties have struggled in recent elections, Hannah Tamaki said Coalition New Zealand was new and exciting.
If faced with an offer to become part of a National-led coalition, Tamaki said "anything could happen" but she was unwilling to say which major party she would prefer. She was not looking for a "backroom deal".
Brian Tamaki's role at this stage would be in supporting his wife, he said.
"My role at the moment is being who I am in the movement of Destiny Church and leading the church...but we'll see what happens." He did not yet know if he would be standing.
Hannah Tamaki said her husband's passion was to build the church, and to build a relationship with the people, so she had put herself forward for the role.
Brian Tamaki added there "could be some truth" in the idea that his wife was more appealing to the general public.
Jevan Goulter is openly gay and a friend of Brian Tamaki and his wife Hannah Tamaki. Goulter will be closely involved with the new Coalition New Zealand party.
What would Coalition New Zealand stand for?
Hannah Tamaki said she is fed up with seeing children in poverty, and fed up with censorship of views that do not fit the "leftist agenda".
"Sadly many of our politicians have lost their moral bearings which after recent events in the news show evidence in our Parliament today."
Tamaki said she would not be looking to repeal the Marriage Equality Act.
Tamaki said her own experience with giving birth to two premature babies informed her views on abortion, saying "they want to rush through late term abortion" - although she would not name anyone who was attempting to do so. She felt abortion should be illegal.
Euthanasia and marijuana were also high on her agenda, with Tamaki saying she considered marijuana a gateway drug to harder drugs such as P.
Tamaki said women were "definitely" equal and there was nothing wrong with women being in leadership - contradicting past statements by Brian Tamaki.
She would like to see prison numbers down and children cared for more, Tamaki said. She also worried about children being taken away from their families.
