Destiny Church charities retain charitable status after lodging appeal

  • 20/12/2017
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki.
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki. Photo credit: File.

Two Destiny Church charities will - for now - remain on the charities register, after lodging an appeal with the High Court.  

"The charities were not provided with an opportunity to present submissions or evidence to the board before it made any decision," Destiny Church said in a statement released on Wednesday. 

"In fact, the charities were not even notified of the date of the Registration Board meeting or corresponded with."

The church claims there is "no reasonable grounds" to remove the charities from the registry and it would "not serve the public interest".  

The affected charities are Destiny International Trust and and Te Hahi o Nga Matamua Holdings Limited, which were scheduled to lose their charitable status today for failing to meet their annual-return obligations.

"We have always been committed to meeting the requirements of the Charities Act and do all we can to remain transparent," Destiny Church said.

The Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed that the charities will not be deregistered at this time.

"The Department has been notified that the charities have lodged a High Court appeal against their deregistration, as is their right under the Charities Act," it told Newshub. 

"We understand the matter will be heard as soon as possible in the New Year. The High Court has granted the charities' request to remain on the register, pending further orders of the Court."

Newshub.