Napier deputy mayor airs concerns over beggars' behaviour

Napier deputy mayor Faye White. Photo / File

Napier deputy mayor Faye White has concerns over the antisocial and aggressive behaviour of some beggars in the city's centre.

After growing concerns over the number of beggars in the central business district and their behaviour towards passers-by, Ms White believes some members of the public have been left feeling intimidated.

"There's a bad lot of drugs out there at the moment and they [the beggars] are getting very, very antisocial and there are a lot of people in town that have been intimidated, yelled at and [who] are quite frightened," she said.

"I believe it's our role in a city to keep our people safe. People should be able to walk to and from work without feeling intimidated or unsafe."

Napier mayor Bill Dalton said begging was an national issue that needed to be addressed by way of housing, care and counselling to get those who were begging "on their feet" and into jobs.

"There's absolutely no question that begging is not a good look for our city and shoppers in our CBD feel uncomfortable and intimidated by them."

"It just makes people feel uncomfortable and at times the beggars can be quite forceful in trying to secure donations."

Massey University societal psychologist Professor Darrin Hodgetts said although he sympathised with the community stakeholders who didn't want homeless people on the streets, policing the issue wasn't the answer.

"The reality is begging bylaws just don't work, they've never worked anywhere. They do nothing to resolve poverty and homelessness . . . instead of addressing poverty we just try and banish people."

Professor Hodgetts said rather than putting money towards policing the issue it would be better to use the money to help people stabilise their lives.

"We like to think New Zealand is an egalitarian society and we take care of vulnerable people but the reality is we don't any more. We don't care as much as we did, so instead of being confronted by the ramifications of being a more selfish society we try and hide people away.

"Hiding them away or banishing them does absolutely nothing to address any of the issues that are driving it."

Mr Dalton said Professor Hodgetts' comments were the academic's "opinion".