A pregnant, homeless woman says she does not choose to live on Auckland's streets, and does not think Sir Bob Jones' idea of outlawing begging will stop people asking for money.

Speaking to NZ Herald Focus on Queen St yesterday , the woman said homelessness and begging wasn't a "bad life", but a "normal life".

She said that despite being 12 weeks' pregnant and having "heaps of family" in Auckland, she would remain on the streets.

When asked if she wanted a job, she replied: "Yes, of course. All of us do."

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Sir Bob Jones said he believed begging should be made illegal. Photo / Richard Robinson
Sir Bob Jones said he believed begging should be made illegal. Photo / Richard Robinson

However, she added what was stopping her from working was her "international criminal record".

"I got deported from Aus[tralia] last year - 8th of August, 2016. Straight from prison to the immigration centre, to back to where you were born."

In reply to Sir Bob's calls for begging to be outlawed, she said: "It won't stop it ... 2017, that's our life at the moment."

In an interview with Newstalk ZB on Tuesday, Sir Bob said begging should be made illegal.

"They're a bloody disgrace. They're an eyesore, it's a disgrace in a modern society that fat people - that fat Maoris as they mostly are - are lying on our streets of our city begging," he said.

The property investor and former politician added: "It baffles me when people say, 'Oh leave them alone'. They should be ashamed of people begging on the streets ... I'm ashamed of these people. They're a disgrace to the human race."

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Other beggars

talked to by

NZ Herald Focus

said Sir Bob was a "self-righteous pig".

"He should try and come out and see what it is like," said one man.