By Patrick Gower
All I could think when I saw the Maori politicians getting blessed by Brian Tamaki was "who is using who here"?
The answer is of course, both were using each other.
3000 voters were sitting in the room, and Destiny has a total of about 8000 predominantly Maori followers who will all vote how Tamaki tells them.
Probably nowhere else in the country can you grab a bloc of votes so easily.
And didn't Pita Sharples, Hone Harawira, Shane Jones and Tau Henare know it.
But there's a quid pro quo in all this: my inquiries show Destiny Church is getting $1.5 million in Government funding - and is lobbying for $4 million more.
I wasn't that surprised that the brothers headed along.
Yet I was pretty stunned to see them getting blessed like that - as Tau Henare said, it was "freaky".
But those Destiny votes are absolutely critical - they are worth more than any prayers.
They will shape the political future of the two Auckland Maori seats.
And given the influence these seats will have over the final make-up of the Parliament - Destiny have a lot more political sway than many people think.
Let’s look at Tamaki Makarau.
That's the Auckland Maori seat currently held by Dr Sharples with a 7500 seat majority.
But Shane Jones has thrown his hat in the ring and can expect to take a slice of that.
And Hone Harawira is set to field a Mana candidate who will take a big chunk too.
So it’s looking dicey.
Whoever can grab 1000 to 3000 votes from Destiny could take the seat.
In fact they will be absolutely critical - they could save Sharples' career.
The Church will also have an influence but not as strong in Te Tai Tokerau, which encompasses West Auckland.
That's why Kelvin Davis was sitting in the audience.
You simply cannot ignore Destiny if you want to win these seats.
And whether Sharples gets back and how many Maori seats the Maori party have will be crucial in the formation of the next Government.
So no wonder it was a total political love-in.
National's Sam Lotuiga was also in attendance.
National have plenty to gain from Destiny as well because Tamaki could order tactical voting: the Maori Party in the Maori seats and National on the list.
And don't forget the Pasifika component of its followers.
You simply do not turn down 8000 list votes.
Tamaki understands all this. I watched him deliver a near-perfect analysis of the Maori seats (he called them a "gift" for Maori) on Native Affairs.
The Bishop's got some power and he knows it.
So what does Tamaki want?
Well the days of turning the country's moral compass in a different direction are long gone.
His sights are on much more practical issues - taxpayer cash for his schools and social services.
The Church released its application for Whanau Ora funding to me this week - they wanted $4,080,300.
There's no doubt the economic downturn has hit the coffers - the less money someone earns, the less someone can tithe.
But it’s about much more than this.
Destiny is delivering social services just like many other Maori urban authorities.
Its social arm Te Oranga Ake delivers employment, counselling, health, housing, women's services - you name it, it’s doing it.
The church's question is this: why should they be denied access to the $130 million for Whanau Ora?
Destiny says it’s discrimination, because the powers-that-be don't like the hardline they take on homosexuals.
Tamaki knows this. The Church has softened its stance on this (publicly at least) in recent years.
Whanau Ora minister Tariana Turia is clearly in agreement.
Both she and Dr Sharples have told me they believe Destiny are doing a good job and are prepared to go into bat for it.
It's a good question and one entirely missed in this entire debate - if Destiny Church can deliver social outcomes that other services can't, why shouldn't they get taxpayer funding?
It’s a controversial question I know.
And it’s not like Destiny are getting nothing from the taxpayer already.
Look at these figures released to 3 News this week about the taxpayer cash given to Destiny's related services.
GOVERNMENT FUNDING OF DESTINY CHURCH SERVICES 2009-11
- Community Max: $681,843 (Ministry of Social Development - mentoring - Auckland)
- Community Max: $74,353 (MSD - mentoring - Bay of Plenty)
- Community Max: $57,553 (MSD - mentoring - Northland)
- Community Max: $36,419 (MSD - mentoring - Waikato)
- Community response: $10,000 (Holiday breakaway programme)
- Kindergarten: $419,916 (Ministry of Education - Early Childhood Education)
- Destiny School: $266,313 (ministry of Education - private school funding)
TOTAL: $1,546,397
Many will be surprised Destiny-related services got $1.5 million of taxpayer money.
But $850,168 was Community Max funding. Community Max is now defunct after the Government axed it - so that's all dried up.
So Whanau Ora is the way to go.
The devolution of social services raises interesting questions like this.
For example: why shouldn't the Exclusive Brethren be able to run a Whanau Ora-type programme eventually? (That's a topic for another day.)
But the reality is this: you may see Destiny Church given a lot more taxpayer money sooner than later.
Because this is all about votes and money.
Destiny Church has gone from marching on Parliament to being all but let in the back door. Isn't the power of votes amazing.