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EDITORIAL
Not all of us, it seems, are doing our level best to protect each other from a deadly virus which sweeps in and takes our vulnerable and elderly.
As Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was putting Auckland into a snap lockdown last Saturday night, Destiny Church leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki packed and high-tailed it out of the city for Rotorua.
They arrived around midnight, where they told a crowd gathered at the Sunday morning service they had escaped from Auckland to avoid the level 3 lockdown.
On Tuesday, Hannah Tamaki posted on Facebook that the couple were touring the country and would be in Invercargill this weekend.
By the middle of the week, Te Anau residents were expressing disgust at the Aucklanders strutting about in the struggling tourist mecca.
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A statement from the church leadership responded to the criticism, in standard fashion, by blaming the media and talking up the importance of the Destiny duo.
"We believe if Destiny Church and our leaders were to stop functioning, there would be an enormous breakdown in many families across this country. The Tamaki's [sic] therefore need to continue their essential work."
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Advertise with NZME.That would be enough self-important codswallop in itself but the Tamaki couple didn't leave it there.
Hannah Tamaki took to Facebook to declare: "Everything in life is a choice. Make sure you choose for yourself, not be talked into something you are not happy to do. I'm not taking the vaccine. That's my choice."
Speaking on Newstalk ZB's Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive show, Brian Tamaki also confirmed he wouldn't be getting the vaccine because of his faith. He had previously advised followers not to fear the virus. Despite these comments, Brian Tamaki has tried to contort himself into denying being anti-vaccination.
Depending on whether you believe Census figures or the church itself, Destiny has either 1772 followers or more than 6000. There are many more "following" the church leaders on social media.
Others may have taken similar actions, and voiced similar views. But, after 2.56 million deaths worldwide, the comments from these self-appointed public figures are ignorant and dangerous.
