Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki was denied entry to Australia and deported back to New Zealand after being detained and interrogated by border officials for 12 hours, 1News reported.
The 68-year-old religious leader flew from New Zealand with his family on Tuesday morning, intending to speak at a Destiny Church conference in Brisbane. Instead, he found himself pulled aside at the airport by the Australian Border Force.
Interrogated at Brisbane Airport and Sent Back to New Zealand
Tamaki described a grueling arrival sequence in a video posted to social media. He stated that officers took him to a tiny, cell-like room with shut doors. “For the next 12 hours straight, I was interrogated,” Tamaki said, adding that he was subsequently placed under guard in an immigration detention center overnight before officials cancelled his visa.
Australian border control documents stated authorities were concerned Tamaki’s presence would disrupt the Australian way of life, specifically affecting the Muslim and Sikh communities. The documents reportedly labeled his social media statements as “inflammatory and concerning.”
Tamaki claimed the episode was part of a coordinated effort between New Zealand and Australia. “It’s a serious thing really when you can see New Zealand and Australia have collaborated together to basically go after one person to silence them,” he told media.
Court Appearance Over Charges of Inciting Racial Disharmony
The Australian border refusal unfolded just a day after Tamaki appeared in the Manukau District Court. He pleaded not guilty to three charges of inciting racial disharmony laid under the Human Rights Act. The charges stem from social media posts and podcast remarks made in June.
The disputed online commentary included remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In those June posts, Tamaki accused Modi of purging Christians in India and burning church buildings down, before making comparative remarks suggesting retaliation against local places of worship. Speaking to Ryan Bridge on TODAY, Tamaki maintained he was making a comparison rather than issuing a threat, acknowledging he had not faced threats from Hindu individuals and that no churches had been burned down in New Zealand.
Outside the Manukau District Court, Tamaki told reporters that his comments challenged religion rather than race. “They’re trying to say it’s racial, and I’m saying to them it never has been. I don’t dislike or hate anybody,” he said. He added that across his ministry spanning decades, his message centers on “acceptance… love, it’s hope and faith.”
Police Revoke Firearms Licence as Australia Protects Community
Meanwhile, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on individual cases when contacted by 1News. However, the department emphasized that the Australian government acts decisively to protect the community from non-citizens who engage in behavior of concern, utilizing visa cancellations where appropriate.
Tamaki has been granted bail following his court appearance on the inciting racial disharmony charges and is scheduled to appear again in the Manukau District Court on January 25, 2027.
