Brian Tamaki arrives with crowd of supporters for Waitangi interdenominational service.
Video / Michael Cunningham
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has got stuck into immigrants, China and Jacinda Ardern in a wide-ranging sermon at Waitangi.
The comments broke the rules for a church service supposed to be about love and grace.
Tamaki arrived with about 200 supporters, including his wife Hannah, and spoke for about half an hour to the crowd of about 1500 people at an interdenominational service at Whare Rūnanga on the Upper Treaty Grounds.
It was the first time he was invited to participate in the service and was given the honour of delivering a sermon while others did shorter readings.
"We live in a land with enough for everyone," Tamaki said.
There was a crowd of about 200 with him and wife Hannah. Photo / Michael Cunningham
"But by 1975, Maori had lost 97 per cent of our land. God had prepared the land so everyone could live well, healthy and long. But when we see the deprivation and poverty now, people not living in that land, not living with dignity...
"Poverty under Jacinda Ardern hasn't been reduced, it's got worse. The number of people in prison has got worse."
The Prime Minister had returned to Auckland after attending this morning's dawn service and a breakfast barbecue.
Tamaki continued: "Some of the people standing in line for welfare are immigrants, don't start me on that, we're not looking after our own.
"Putting money into the problem doesn't solve the problem.
"How are we helping the people who need it most? After 30 years of [Treaty] settlements?"
"We will only move on when Parliament stops recolonising by selling off land to overseas investors, Japanese investors...
Brian Tamaki was welcomed at the Upper Treaty Grounds at Waitangi.
''We should drain the Wellington bureaucratic swamp by the way.
"This Government has been the worst at selling off land to foreigners. If they've got that much land to sell they should give it back to Māori."
Tamaki's comment was a play on one of US President Donald Trump's favourite slogans during the 2016 election - he promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington, DC.
Tamaki said China was taking over resources around the world, to serve the needs of its own population. We won't be able to build a house, own a house or "do anything" on our own land, he said.
He said 33 Maori MPs and it was the "worst ever time" for Māori
"You see them selling off the country. You see them saying no to us about having any of this resource, this land. Politics can't do it. The system can't change it."
Tamaki was invited to speak, as one of the church leaders. Photo / Michael Cunningham
He said it was "disgraceful" that government agencies waited outside birthing suites to take babies away.
"If they don't change then any hot-blooded Māori cannot vote for Labour again. In fact any hot-blooded European...
"I've seen people in prison... society's worst nightmares, turned totally around. We have to change what we do with Maori. If Maori do well, New Zealand does better."
Tamaki's followers performed a haka as he finished speaking.
Many non-supporters in the crowd shook their heads and rolled their eyes as he spoke.
Bishop Kiitohi Piikaahu - the MC of the service - was visibly angry and when he drew proceedings to a close said: "I should speak English but if I do speak English I might offend some people.
"We ought to move at the speed of love, at the speed of grace.
"I'm speaking like this because I've got to bring us back to where we were. We pray earnestly."
Afterwards, he explained to the Herald that he was upset about the haka Tamaki's followers performed. He called it "inappropriate" for a church service.
Destiny followers, mostly in black "raising fathers to save lives" T-shirts, ringed the crowd. Women wore T-shirts saying "legacy sisterhood empowerment".
Some held signs reading "you can not plan tomorrow while fighting yesterday" with "Apostle Bishop Brian Tamaki" written in the corner.
Hātea Kapa Haka from Whangārei supported the service with chants and waiata.
