During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Bishop Tamaki courted media attention and controversy in mid-March when he announced that Destiny Church would not be closing their congregations in response to Government directives discouraging gatherings of more than 100 people. Tamiki stated that he was " not about to let a filthy virus scare us out of having church. To equate fear with common sense is nonsense." "very ignorant Kiwis don't even realise their rights have been stolen"Tamaki's remarks were criticised by infectious diseases expert Dr Siouxsie Wiles for undermining COVID-19 containment efforts." While Destiny Church held services on 22 March, they subsequently shifted to online services to comply with national lockdown restrictions.