Destiny Church is playing up, Tainui are playing down, and the AIDS Foundation is worried by the lengthy presence of virulently anti-gay Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki beside the Maori Queen at the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of her coronation. Influential gay Maori are expressing concern that the Queen could be viewed as supporting Tamaki's stridently homophobic teachings. NZ AIDS Foundation chair Hoani Jeremy Lambert has joined the voices of concern, saying the public out take isn't very good for takataapui. "We already have challenges amongst some of the more conservative elements in our iwi structures and signals like this do not give us any reassurance that there is any im proved understanding of takataapui issues. "There is clearly a lot more work that needs to be done in those conservative circles, and it's not just Brian Tamaki, its people like John Tamahere... we need to educate these people about the dangers of discrimination and the issues faced by their takataapui." Lambert believes that, despite these concerns, Tamaki's connection to the Queen may not signal she is aligned with his views on homosexuality. "I believe she has a really good feel for all Maori regardless of their sexual identity." Lambert thinks Tamaki's lingering presence may have been due to the Queen's "good manners." In a statement to GayNZ.com, Destiny political party leader Richard Lewis says the queen wanted Tamaki, of Ngati Maniapoto - a sub-tribe of Tainui - to remain at her side. "[He] was guest speaker at Dame Te Atairangikahu's coronation prayer breakfast and remained at her side by personal invitation," says Lewis. Meanwhile, some Tainui people are understood to not be pleased to see Tamaki in her presence. Tainui spokesperson Moko Tini says Tainui "want to make it clear that the Kingitanga (the King Movement of which the Queen is the current head) has no association whatsoever with Destiny Church." Tamaki's connection to the hierarchy of Tainui goes further than his close association with Dame Te Atairangikahu. At the last election former Tainui co-chairman Haydn Solomon was the Tainui candidate for Destiny Church's political wing, Destiny New Zealand. Solomon attracted just 516 votes.