
Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford claims his electorate office has been targeted in a clandestine rubbish dump just days after calling for Destiny Church to be struck off the charities register.
Twyford said a âload of rubbishâ was left outside his office door in Henderson in a post on social media.
He claimed a potential link between speaking out about the church membersâ âviolent behaviourâ storming a library event where a drag king was holding a childrenâs event, and the rubbish dump â suggesting it was likely a person unimpressed with his stance.
âIn 13 years as local MP here Iâve never had anything like this happen,â said Twyford.
âThere has been overwhelming public support for my call for Destiny to be stripped of its charity status, but clearly at least someone wasnât happy with it.â
His office is now scouring security footage and will be sending any relevant material to police.
A Destiny Church spokesperson rejected any link between the church and the rubbish dumping.
Last week, the MP wrote to the charities regulator asking for Destiny Church to be struck off after a group linked to the organisation violently protested a Pride Festival Event in Te Atatū.
âIâve been speaking out in recent days on Destinyâs violent behaviour at the Te AtatÅ« Peninsula Community Centre, and while Iâve had loads of positive feedback, clearly someone is not happy,â he posted on social media.
Te Atatū Labour MP Phil Twyford's electorate office was targeted in rubbish dump, days after calling for Destiny Church to be deregistered as a charity. Photo / Phil Twyford
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A photo of the dump shows a pile of household items, some rotting, including large shards of broken glass, discarded clothing and empty food containers blocking his Henderson office front doors, spilling over the footpath.
Twyford said despite the protest, it would not stop him from âdoing my jobâ.
Destiny Church spokeswoman Jenny Marshall told the Herald they âhad no knowledgeâ of such an event.
âNo, we havenât heard anything of the sort ... Our people arenât like that.â
Marshall claimed Twyfordâs use of Destiny Church in his social media post was âclickbaitingâ.
A representative for Twyfordâs office said they were looking through CCTV footage and would send video to police.
Neighbouring shopkeeper Shan Lin told the Herald the rubbish pile was already there when she started work at 8.30am.
A council truck had since arrived to clean up the mess.
Twyfordâs formal complaint to Charities Services alleged the church engaged in wrongdoing.
âDestinyâs actions were certainly oppressive, which meets the definition of wrongdoing in the law, and so they should lose their tax-deductible status,â Twyford said.
âDestiny is in breach of the Charities Act. This organisation should not be receiving a cent of public subsidy through tax deductibility nor the stamp of approval that registration as a charity implies.â
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