Laura Toggs, daughter of Hillsong founder Brian Houston, slams media on Instagram

The daughter of Hillsong founder Brian Houston has slammed the media in a scathing Instagram post, telling followers “turn off the news”.

The daughter of Hillsong founder Brian Houston has launched a scathing attack on the media after the group’s wild youth party came under fire for breaching Covid protocols.

Laura Toggs, who is a pastor of Hillsong’s ‘youth ministry’ with her husband, Peter, called media coverage “disgusting”, “horrible”, “immoral” and “low”.

The youth camp in Newcastle, NSW, made headlines after a viral video showed hundreds of attendees singing and dancing without masks in violation of public health orders.

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Laura Toggs and her father Hillsong founder Brian Houston

Ms Toggs said she was “mad at the media reports that made our youth camps not only a national disgrace but an international new story.”

“I have watched the media willingly disregard any fairness for the sake of click-bait and to suit whatever profit they make off their agendas,” she wrote. “It’s destroying peoples’ lives one cheap headline at a time and it’s heartbreaking to watch people believe the lies.”

“To keep bowing down to the media is essentially to allow them to continue to own the narrative around the world, above the truth. It is the most unwise thing you can do for your mind and soul. Defending truth is biblical,” she wrote. “If you want to fill your mind and soul with junk then go ahead and buy into whatever s*** they spoon feed you. But if you want truth to frame your heart and soul and mind, let the Bible be your source of wisdom and truth and guidance.”

Ms Toggs said the NSW government had changed the rules on the organisation due to “media pressure”.

“There is a clear agenda to drag Hillsong through the mud and to destroy our name,” Ms Toggs claimed.

Laura Toggs.

Laura Toggs’ message on Instagram

She said she did not know that rules for festivals had changed because she was busy organising the camp at the time and would have been more sensitive to “the singing” had she known.

“I hope that the music industry can rally their strength together to rally government – rather than bash churchgoers,” Ms Toggs said.

The music industry expressed its disgust at Hillsong for organising the event when other acts were abiding by the rules.

“There are rules in place that just aren’t right,” Ppop rock duo Lime Cordiale wrote on social media. “Festivals, clubs and pubs are closed whilst Hillsong are getting close and sweaty … confusing?”

Hillsong came under fire for hosting its Wildlife Summercamp with large crowds while musical festivals have been banned.

Others such as Jack River, Illy, Odette and Ball Park Music also criticised the event as demonstrating a double standard.

Earlier this month it was announced that Hillsong would escape fines for the festival breaches.

That was despite NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet expressing his outraged after seeing the now viral video.

“I echoed the frustration and anger other people right across the state felt,” he said. “Even if technically it was within the rules, it certainly wasn’t in the spirit of the rules. If we have to tighten loopholes, we will.”

In an official statement, Hillsong apologised for “the ‘perception that we were not playing our part to keep NSW safe … we sincerely apologise to the community at large.”

“A video circulating on social media reflects a few minutes of this part of the program,” it said. “We follow strict Covid procedures and adhere to government guidelines.”