Former Wellington rough sleepers are saying there’ll be “civil war” on the streets if the Government’s proposed police "move-on orders" go ahead.
“There’s gonna be a big war,” Brucey, a former rough sleeper told 1News, when asked about his concerns about the amendment to the Summary Offences Act.
“I reckon crime will increase, and it won’t be just rough sleepers to blame, it’ll be other people coming into town causing trouble and leaving and then blaming it on the rough sleepers,” said another former rough sleeper, who goes by the name Papa Smurf.
The Bill, announced by the Government in February, will give police the power to issue "move on orders" to people displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening or intimidating behaviour; obstructing or impeding someone entering a business; and those breaching the peace.
Former rough sleepers warn move-on orders could spark 'war' - Watch on TVNZ+
The orders could also be issued for all forms of begging, rough sleeping, and behaviour "indicating an intent to inhabit a public place".
An order would require a person to leave a specified area for up to 24 hours and move a "reasonable distance from the area" as specified by the officer.
Refusing to comply with a move-on order could be punished with either a fine of up to $2000 or a maximum of three months in prison.
“How are they gonna afford that? Dude, they’re homeless,” said Brucey.
Another former rough sleeper, Lyric, who ran away from state care when he was 14, told 1News he went to Wellington’s CBD for safety.
“When we’d be sleeping in doorways and stuff like that, we knew we had cameras watching us, we knew that it was a lit-up area, it’s a whole lot safer,” he said.
Speaking from experience, he said the police treated him like he’d already committed a crime when he was rough sleeping.
“The last thing we need is for our government, our police, telling [rough sleepers] to move on and them turning around and making the police, making the government an enemy,” he said.
Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul's electorate office has been collecting submissions on the bill from both rough sleepers and those with lived experience.
“This will just make the problem worse,” said Paul.
She told 1News a big worry was the growing number of women and young people within the rough sleeping community.
“It is more unsafe for women to not be in well-lit areas like town and for kids as well, for them to be moved on into darker, dingier parts of town,” she said.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said he did not agree that the changes would lead to violence.
"It gives the power to police to issue a move on order for somebody who is acting in a disorderly way in our towns and cities, and that’s appropriate, and the simplest thing for people to do is follow that order."
He said there were many opportunities to help those in need, but what was lacking was a tool to deal with anti-social behaviour in towns and cities.
Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said retailers wanted the focus to be on disruption, not people.
“So as long as we're focusing on the behaviour and not whether someone's a rough sleeper or begging, then we're okay with that because we know there are situations where you do need to break the cycle.”
Submissions to select committee on the move-on orders Bill closed at midnight.
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