22 Nov 2017

Destiny Church charities deregistered

6:10 pm on 22 November 2017

Two of Destiny Church's charities will be removed from the Charities Register next month because of their "persistent failure" to meet annual return obligations.

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Destiny Church co-founders Hannah and Brian Tamaki Photo: Facebook / Hannah Tamaki

Destiny International Trust and Te Hahi o Nga Matamua Holdings Limited were warned earlier this year by Internal Affairs that the Charities Registration Board intended to remove them.

The charities - two of the church's biggest - filed formal objections, which the board considered at a meeting yesterday.

It went ahead with its decision to remove them from the register, "because of the charities' persistent failure to meet their annual return obligations".

"The board considered the objections but was satisfied that it is in the public interest to proceed with the removal of the charities from the register," board chair Roger Holmes Miller said.

"The board in particular noted the history of non-compliance with annual return obligations [and] considered that the integrity of the Charities Register would not be maintained if charities persistently fail to meet their obligations to file annual returns under the [Charities] Act."

The charities have until 20 December to appeal the decision to the High Court and will remain on the register until that time.

Last month, Church founders Brian and Hannah Tamaki moved into a 'resort' home in Auckland worth $1.6m.

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