Destiny Church charities removed from register for failure to file annual returns

Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Anti-mandate protesters gather outside Auckland's Mount Eden prison after Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki was arrested at his home on January 17.

Several Destiny Church charities have been removed from the Charities Register after failing to meet their requirements to be a charity.

On Tuesday, February 15, the Charities Services changed the listings for Destiny Church Auckland Trust, Destiny Church Taranaki, Destiny International Trust and Te Hahi o Ngā Matamua Holdings Limited.

Their removal from the register comes two months after Charities Services revealed it launched an “initial inquiry” into the charities, having received 28 complaints about Destiny Church in the space of a few months.

According to the most recent annual returns, the combined total assets of the charities top $5.7 million.

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Brian Tamaki delivering a service at Cranmer Square in Christchurch in January 2022.

The annual returns were due on December 31.

It is the second time in six years Te Hahi o Ngā Matamua Holdings Limited and Destiny International Trust have been deregistered for failing to file annual returns. They also failed to report in 2017.

Destiny Church media liaison Anne Williamson declined to go into detail on the situation, but said the church is in communication with Charities Services, and is awaiting a response.

Destiny Church charities have been scrutinised by the Government’s watchdog before.

In 2016, Charities Services investigated after Tamaki made controversial comments about homosexuality, but found “insufficient evidence” to go further.

And in late 2017, Destiny International Trust and Te Hahi o Ngā Matamua Holdings Limited lost its tax-exempt status after it failed to submit annual returns on time.

Nearly 70,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Charities Services to revoke the church charities’ tax-exempt status.

The petition authors say the church and its leader, Brian Tamaki, are “promoting uncharitable views, ideas, false science and misinformation that are putting the unvaccinated people of New Zealand at risk”.

Now that the charities are deregistered, their earnings are liable to be taxed, unless Destiny Church qualifies for another tax exemption.

They may be required to pay a one-off tax on the accumulated assets held as of February 15, and have 12 months to distribute assets to their remaining registered charities or give them away for another charitable purpose. Anything left over will be taxed after 12 months.

If Destiny Church re-applies and gains registration status again within 12 months they will not be taxed.

Deregistered charities must not call themselves a registered charitable entity, and they must not use their former charity registration number, nor claim eligibility for charitable tax exemptions.

The Department of Internal Affairs, which manages the Charities Services, was approached for comment on Tuesday.

Since publication, General Manager Charities Services Mike Stone said the charities were removed “following our usual process” for failing to meet their reporting obligations. There is no rule against these charities applying for charitable status again once their reporting is up-to-date, and they may appeal the removal in the High Court.