“Naive or Deceived”: Brian Tamaki Attacks Luxon’s Praise of Indian New Zealanders

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has accused Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of promoting a “political lie” over comments praising the achievements of Indian New Zealanders.

By Webfit News | Auckland | 1 November 2026

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has publicly challenged Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over remarks praising Indian New Zealanders, accusing politicians across the political spectrum of accepting what he calls a “political lie”.

In a Facebook post on 31 October, Tamaki shared an image attributing to Luxon the claim that Indians have higher standards and greater wealth than the average Kiwi.

Tamaki responded by questioning the Prime Minister’s judgement.

“For your country’s Prime Minister to say this publicly to (New Zealanders) is either absolute Naivety or he’s really Deceived,” Tamaki wrote.

He went further, claiming politicians and political parties had, to varying degrees, accepted the same supposed falsehood.

What Did Luxon Actually Say?

The remarks appear to refer to comments Luxon made in May 2025 at an India-New Zealand business gathering in Auckland.

At the time, Luxon said Indian New Zealanders were, on average, younger, better educated and higher earning than the general population.

His comments formed part of a speech recognising the Indian community’s economic and social contributions and strengthening ties between New Zealand and India.

The wording circulated in Tamaki’s post is not an exact quotation of those remarks.

A Wider Dispute Over Immigration and Identity

Tamaki’s latest criticism comes amid continuing controversy over his statements about Indian migrants and religious communities.

In October, he pleaded not guilty to three charges of inciting racial disharmony relating to earlier Facebook posts. Those charges remain before the courts.

Luxon has previously defended the contribution of Indian New Zealanders, describing their hard work, ambition and achievements as valuable to the country.

Tamaki’s latest post raises a clear point of disagreement: while Luxon has highlighted the community’s success, Tamaki rejects the political messaging surrounding those claims.

The post does not provide evidence establishing that Luxon’s comparison was false.

Sources: Brian Tamaki’s public Facebook post dated 31 October 2026; Christopher Luxon’s remarks reported in May 2025; 1News court reporting, October 2026.