BRIAN Tamaki, the outspoken and controversial pastor of a South Auckland church, has been noticed by New Zealand Police that he can never hold a gun again because he spoke out against human rights violations in India.
The notice was issued by the Firearms Safety Authority and follows the temporary suspension issued to him on June 30th and the subsequent submissions made by his lawyer opposing that suspension.
The action by police and the FSA appears to be related to a complaint against Bishop Tamaki (the title he uses) by an Indian ethnic community group.
Tamaki points out that the Minister of Police Mark Mitchell is also the Minister for Ethnic Communities and this constitutes a conflict of interests.
Mitchell is part of the National Party-led government of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who has been pushing an Indian immigration and trade agenda.
Tamaki, like many New Zealanders, enjoys deer and pig hunting trips to the many bush locations where this game roams in abundance.
“After holding a firearms licence for many years without issue, Police have now decided I am no longer a ‘fit and proper person’,” Tamaki posted on his social media.
“And why? Four of the five matters relate to statements I made concerning the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
“To recap, I was publicly challenging serious human-rights issues in India under Modi’s leadership, including reports of Christians being killed and persecuted, sexual violence and attacks against Christian women and girls, churches being attacked and burned, child marriage and the treatment of vulnerable children.
“These are serious matters worthy of public debate – passionate speech is not hate speech and if it can happen to me, you could be next.”
New Zealand Police issued Bishop Tamaki with a notice revoking his firearms licence on Friday and according to the Firearms Safety Authority, he will not be getting his firearms licence back.
The decision goes even further, prohibiting him not only from possessing his own firearms, but from possessing or using a firearm even under the supervision of a licensed firearms holder.
Bishop Tamaki says he was speaking passionately and was protesting and “challenging what I believed needed to be challenged.”
“And controversial political speech should not suddenly become grounds for removing someone’s legal rights simply because those in authority dislike the language being used. That is why this case should concern more New Zealanders than just me.”
Inspector Glenn Nalder, who made the decision to revoke the licence, says his decision was made “independently, impartially and in accordance with the Arms Act 1983.
Police issued a statement saying they are “not concerned, either generally or in this particular case, with expressions that another person might find confronting.”
They also stated they were not concerned with Tamaki’s apparent desire to protest the visit by the Prime Minister of India. “Police is not concerned with low level disobedience in the context of protest.”
But Tamaki said a paragraph in the statement should concern every New Zealander who values free speech:
“The Police position is that your words speak for themselves. Your speech appears prepared and considered, and your statements were calculated, direct, unequivocal, and repeated.
“This is not a situation where an off the cuff or spur of the moment remark or phrase escaped without proper forethought. You encouraged and promoted violence and significant property damage. You say you have no history of threatening violence or ‘causing social harm through such fears’. Police disagree.”
“Think about what is being said here. My words are central to the decision, not an allegation that I misused a firearm, not an allegation that I threatened somebody with a firearm, not a history of unsafe firearms handling,” Tamaki responded.
“In fact, the decision itself acknowledges: “I have taken into account that you have held a firearms licence for many years and, until recent events, no question has been asked of your fitness to possess firearms”.
“Yet the verdict is: “On balance I am not satisfied you are fit and proper to possess firearms.”
Bishop Tamaki says that contradiction deserves scrutiny and he will be seeking a review, for which he has 28 days to apply for.
He is awaiting the investigation file he has already requested from police and his lawyer will examine the evidence and material relied upon before the review is lodged and if necessary, they will take this further through the courts.
“I will fight this, I will fight for free speech, I will fight for my right to hunt and put meat on the tables of South Auckland families,” he says.
“And I will fight to make sure no Kiwi has their rights stripped away simply because the Government doesn’t like what they say. Today it’s me. Tomorrow it could be you.”
Bishop Tamaki says he will continue asking questions about Minister Mark Mitchell “and the obvious potential conflict between his two portfolios.”
He said if the matter ends up in court, he intends to call Mr Mitchell and have his questions answered under oath.
“Was there any communication about me or my firearms licence, formal or informal (in the backseat of a car) involving Mitchell, his office, Police or Ethnic Communities?
“If there wasn’t, they need to prove it. If there was, New Zealanders deserve to know.”
The Bishop says he’s “fighting for the right of every Kiwi to speak freely without fear of what the State might take from them next.
“And free speech isn’t free if you can be punished for using it.”
