While Tamaki is no stranger to controversy, much of what he said during the interview echoed growing unease among New Zealanders about the erosion of national identity and the effects of globalist policies. His remarks may not win over the political class or the mainstream media, but they strike a chord with many ordinary Kiwis.
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“New Zealand is a Christian country”
One of Tamaki’s central points is the belief that New Zealand’s foundational identity is Christian. “Christianity is our founding faith,” he said. “Most New Zealanders would probably accept that, even if they don’t personally believe.”
Tamaki stopped short of calling for a theocracy. Instead, he called for official recognition of Christianity as the country's foundational faith, something he believes would help ground New Zealand culturally and socially in the face of growing religious pluralism. “You can be secular, you can choose what you want to believe, but I just want [Christianity] to be officialised,” he stated.
This isn’t about enforcing belief, he clarified, but about acknowledging what has historically shaped New Zealand’s values, laws, and institutions.
Unchecked immigration and parallel societies
Perhaps Tamaki’s strongest criticism was aimed at New Zealand’s immigration policy, or what he sees as the lack of one. “We’ve got far too much immigration in our country that’s uncontrolled, unvetted, unchecked,” he argued. “Our borders are not open, they’re gone.”
He recounted a recent incident in which an immigrant allegedly attacked members of another religious group shortly after arriving in the country. For Tamaki, this isn’t just an isolated crime, it’s a warning sign of imported conflicts taking root here.
More broadly, he warned of “parallel societies” developing in suburbs like South Auckland, where cultural enclaves are forming in ways that resist integration. “We are losing our Kiwi identity. We are losing our religious identity,” he said. “If we don’t do something to stand up for New Zealand now, we will lose it.”
Assimilation, not division
Tamaki isn’t against immigration per se. His argument centres on the idea that those who come to New Zealand should adapt to Kiwi norms, not the other way around.
“If you come here as an immigrant, then you need to assimilate,” he said. “When you come into this country, you’ve got to integrate into the Kiwi way of life.”
He proposed stricter assimilation standards and even suggested a religious component to immigration policy, allowing for private religious expression but limiting public displays that may clash with the national culture.
While this position may sound extreme to some, it reflects concerns that multiculturalism, without clear boundaries, can lead to fragmentation rather than cohesion.
The problem with “tolerance”
One of Tamaki’s more provocative observations was on how tolerance can be a double-edged sword. He criticised government and media for “tolerating” everything but Christian expression, particularly when that expression challenges progressive orthodoxy.
“When other religions come in and begin to impose their religion upon us, they’re building mosques and temples all over our landscape,” he noted. Meanwhile, Christian beliefs, he argues, are sidelined or even vilified.
He pointed to month-long celebrations such as Diwali as examples of how public space is increasingly being used to promote minority faiths, often with government backing, while Christian perspectives are either ignored or suppressed.
Free speech and hate speech laws
Tamaki didn’t shy away from addressing his critics, particularly those calling for stricter hate speech laws in the wake of Destiny Church’s recent protest. “That’s the only thing I hate. I hate hate speech laws,” he declared.
He argued that such laws are tools used by government to silence dissent and push unpopular opinions underground. “This is silencing the people,” he said. “It’s not about protecting minorities, it’s about suppressing free speech.”
He also rejected accusations of promoting violence. “For the 45 years I’ve been working as a Christian, I’ve never been involved in violence or a violent protest,” he said. “I don’t advocate violence against anyone, any religion, any orientation.”
Tamaki didn’t shy away from addressing his critics, particularly those calling for stricter hate speech laws in the wake of Destiny Church’s recent protest. “That’s the only thing I hate. I hate hate speech laws,” he declared.
He argued that such laws are tools used by government to silence dissent and push unpopular opinions underground. “This is silencing the people,” he said. “It’s not about protecting minorities, it’s about suppressing free speech.”
He also rejected accusations of promoting violence. “For the 45 years I’ve been working as a Christian, I’ve never been involved in violence or a violent protest,” he said. “I don’t advocate violence against anyone, any religion, any orientation.”
A voice for the voiceless?
Tamaki claims that while political elites and media outlets may dismiss him, a silent majority of Kiwis are beginning to agree with his message. “Eighty percent of the country right now agree with what I’m saying,” he told Plunket.
Whether or not that figure is accurate, what’s undeniable is that frustration around immigration, loss of cultural identity, and double standards in public discourse is growing.
Brian Tamaki may not be everyone's cup of tea, but he’s saying things many are too afraid to voice. While his delivery is blunt, even abrasive, the substance of his message raises real questions about the direction New Zealand is heading.
At a time when political leaders avoid hard conversations, Tamaki is forcing them onto the table. Agree or disagree, he’s challenging the status quo
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced.
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