Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has lashed out during a Sunday service about Aotearoa's queer representation in Parliament.
Tamaki, who apologised in 2019 for blaming gay people for causing earthquakes, told churchgoers on Sunday "we're in a sick society" for the 12 queer MPs Aotearoa has elected to Parliament.
"The media globally said New Zealand now has the queerest Parliament, and I'm like 'I'm not proud of that, I'm not proud of that'."
By percentage, Aotearoa's Parliament became the most rainbow in the world following the election in 2020 - with 10 percent of 120 MPs being queer.
Tamaki's attack came moments after he welcomed "the alphabet community" to join his newly launched Freedoms NZ political party, and told his followers "we cannot keep being nasty".
But Tamaki doubled down in his attack on the queer community, and questioned what the word 'queer' meant and repeated his regular line "I'm into diversity but not perversity".
Queer activist Shaneel Lal told Newshub Tamaki's concern about what people are doing in the bedroom is "perverted".
They added Tamaki's view is simplistic and "he's confused, sex, gender and identity which these people often do".
Tamaki said the 10 percent of queer MPs represent just 1 percent of the population in Aotearoa, something The Green Party says is wrong.
The Green Party's rainbow issues spokesperson Elizabeth Kerekere said rainbow people make up 10-15 percent of Aotearoa's population.
"Tamaki is not one to let maths or the truth get in the way of a good sermon."
Kerekere instead says the 1 percent are "those who peddle in hate".
"They do not represent all Christians and they definitely do not represent the majority of Aotearoa."
