Okay, okay, an oxymoron – I know. But one really gets wound up when the ‘Senior’ writer for a newspaper that was once admired and respected, David Fisher, stoops to smears just to put the boot into someone.
The political aspirations of Destiny Church’s Brian and Hannah Tamaki will make a show in this year’s local body elections with their backing of a reformed gang leader running for mayor of the Far North.
Jay Hepi will announce a run for mayor of the Far North District Council at midday in Kaikohe with the Tamakis at his side.
He’s a former leader of the Tribesman [sic] and of the Rebels Motorcycle Club, two gangs notorious for their links to the drug trade and organised crime.
In recent years, Hepi has renounced his gang connections and is now described as the Northland regional facilitator of the Destiny-linked ManUp organisation, which purports to run a programme aimed at putting men on a positive path in life.
A Newspaper of disrepute
purport – verb. 3rd person present: purports
appear to be or do something, especially falsely.
So, does the Destiny-linked Man Up organisation actually run a programme aimed at putting men on a positive path in life or are they lying about it and only ‘purport’ to run it?
They have a Facebook page:
With testimonials of success like this:
My name is Wiremukingi Matakatea. I grew up in Levin. I started getting abused from about the age of 7 my heart began to harden. […]
[…] I had always walked alone and had no idea how to love this woman like she deserved. I continued to take drugs to mask my own issues, I lied, I cheated, I drank, I was manipulative and worst of all I was angry and violent.
On the 29th October, 2017 I assaulted my partner, I was arrested and was eventually sentenced to another 12 months in prison.
On March 19th, 2019 I was released from prison and deported back to NZ. The very next day I attended my 1st Man Up session and haven’t looked back since. I have been able to identify my dysfunctions and deal with the root of my hurt and anger. I know for a fact that without Man Up I would be falling back in to my old ways but Man Up keeps me honest and accountable for my actions.
For the first time in my life I know where my life is headed….
ManUp
The government has withheld funding from the Man Up programme:
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis has stamped out any hope Brian Tamaki may have held of winning government funding to deliver his Man Up programme in prisons.
This ‘purported’ programme appears to hold regular meetings:
If the Destiny-linked Man Up organisation is only purportedly running a programme, they have crafted an amazing online backstory for something that David Fisher has smeared as falsely claiming to put men on a positive path.
Man-up Fisher!
