Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki says he will take legal action against “the police and politicians” he claims are responsible for the revocation of his firearms licence.
Tamaki revealed on social media on Saturday that he had been informed the previous day that his licence had been revoked after authorities determined he was no longer a “fit and proper person” to possess firearms.
“After holding a firearms licence for many years without issue, police have now decided I am no longer a ‘fit and proper person’,” he wrote.
Tamaki has alleged the decision is connected to comments he made while criticising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand’s immigration policies. Police have not endorsed that explanation and have declined to discuss the individual reasons for his licence decision.
Acting executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority Bruce Bird said generally that decisions to suspend or revoke licences are made according to the legal requirement that a person remain “fit and proper” to possess a firearm.
Under the Arms Act, authorities can consider a person’s overall character and conduct, along with information received from a range of sources and any potential risk of harm.
‘Losing my licence, who cares?’
Speaking at Destiny Church following the decision, Tamaki said he regretted not removing thermal-sight equipment from his firearms before police seized them, estimating the equipment and guns were worth about $50,000.
However, he played down the personal impact of losing access to firearms.
“Losing my licence, who cares?”
Tamaki returned to the issue on Monday, saying he intended to challenge the decision through the courts and arguing that he had been punished for what he said rather than for any misuse of a firearm.
“Police invade my home without notice, revoke my firearms licence for life, can’t shoot again even under the supervision of a licensed firearms holder, and never to ‘hold a gun in my hands again’,” he wrote.
“Wow.. what for? It wasn’t for anything I did, it was what I said!!! Let that sink in.”
Tamaki claimed he was “considered dangerous because I’m telling the the [sic] truth boldly and consistently”.
“I have contacted my lawyers and intend on taking the police and politicians involved in this plot to court.”
No evidence has been publicly produced supporting Tamaki’s allegation that politicians directed the firearms decision.
Firearms initially seized in June
Police first attended Tamaki’s Auckland property on 30 June, where they served him with a temporary firearms licence suspension notice and removed several weapons from his gun safe.
Footage livestreamed by Tamaki showed officers cataloguing and taking away hunting rifles fitted with scopes and suppressors, along with what appeared to be a lever-action rifle.
At the time, Superintendent Shanan Gray confirmed the temporary suspension and said such action could be taken while the firearms regulator investigated whether a licence holder remained a “fit and proper” person.
The intervention came after a series of inflammatory online comments by Tamaki about Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.
Tamaki had called for New Zealand to “purge” members of those religious communities and, while responding to allegations about the treatment of Christians in India, suggested mosques and temples could be burned in retaliation.
He later said he had not intended for those comments to be acted upon.
Police said at the time that the material had been referred for legal assessment.
‘Heaven’s hit list’ also investigated
Police have subsequently investigated another video posted by Tamaki in which he identified organisations, political parties, religious groups and individuals he considered “evil” or part of what he called “heaven’s hit list”.
The video prompted further scrutiny over whether the language amounted to a threat, although Tamaki characterised his comments as spiritual rather than a literal call for violence.
Tamaki has contrasted the police response to his statements with authorities’ handling of a recent political protest involving an effigy of Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
During that demonstration, an effigy bearing Peters’ image was placed in a mock guillotine and “given the chop”, with organisers describing the act as political theatre and satire.
Tamaki has cited police’s decision not to investigate that incident as evidence of what he considers inconsistent treatment, although the circumstances and legal issues surrounding the two incidents differ.
For now, Tamaki says his next move will be through the courts.
The Firearms Safety Authority has maintained that it cannot comment on the details of an individual licensing decision, but says the “fit and proper” test is designed to ensure firearm possession is limited to people considered able to use and possess weapons safely and responsibly.
