Destiny Churches New Zealand
Press Statement for Immediate Release
Friday 30th October 2009

Response To TV3 Campbell Live Item

This statement is in response to TV3’s Campbell Live item on Thursday 29th October 2009 featuring Destiny Church.

The item centered around commentary by an ‘unidentified’ individual and hidden-camera footage obtained by that person whilst at a public men’s meeting during the church’s Labour Weekend conference.

Destiny Church wishes to state that a number of comments made by the individual were grossly inaccurate and questions the credibility of the source, which the programme fails to identify.

Inaccuracies are also noted in the commentary of the presenter, Mihirangi Forbes.

Destiny Church has always had an open-door policy towards the media and general public and believes this trust has been breached by TV3 in their covert approach in this instance. For that reason, Bishop Tamaki chose not to particulate in this item.

We note that TV3 did not approach the church prior to the Labour Weekend conference to cover the event and wonders why a covert approach was necessary.

This decision also takes into consideration recent precedent of poor practice on the part of Campbell Live in the case of the “medal thieves”, when viewers were misled into thinking they were seeing an actual interview, when it was in fact an actor. [Reference http://www.bsa.govt.nz/decisions/2008/2008-034.htm]

Bishop Tamaki appeared live on TV One’s Close Up @ 7 at the same time the TV3 item went to air. That interview can be viewed on http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/cult-church-speak-brian-tamaki-3101061/video

ENDS

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