All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

CBD homeless plan angers left-wing

Bernard Orsman
By Bernard Orsman
Auckland Reporter·NZ Herald·
3 Dec, 2008 03:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The police say they don't usually have any trouble getting the homeless to move on. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The police say they don't usually have any trouble getting the homeless to move on. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The police say they don't usually have any trouble getting the homeless to move on. Photo / Brett Phibbs

KEY POINTS:

The Auckland City Council is looking at introducing a bylaw to force homeless people off Queen St and other central-city streets.

The bylaw will address loitering, sleeping in doorways and begging by 90 or so homeless people who live rough within a 3km radius of the Sky Tower.

Citizens & Ratepayers councillors voted at yesterday's community services committee meeting to spend $50,000 on developing the bylaw to manage homeless issues.

The prospect of the bylaw infuriated City Vision-Labour councillors, who accused C&R of creating a "right-wing version of nanny state" to punish and alienate homeless people.

And in a rare public disagreement with C&R, Mayor John Banks later questioned the value of a bylaw and called first for a united approach between Government agencies, the voluntary sector and others to deal with the complex social issues.

The police and City Missioner Diane Robertson have also raised questions about the bylaw, which is being driven by C&R councillor and community services chairman Paul Goldsmith.

In September, Mr Goldsmith asked officers to look seriously at getting homeless people off the streets following complaints from the public about mattresses on footpaths, puddles of urine and people behaving offensively.

Mr Goldsmith yesterday said the bylaw was not punitive or about demonising the homeless. The council would continue focusing with the police, Auckland City Mission and others on a "homeless action plan" to address and reduce the level of homelessness in the city.

"But we still have the problem of how do we deal with someone who lies on a mattress in Queen St, even in the middle of the morning," the councillor said.

Mr Goldsmith said the bylaw would provide the ability to ask somebody to move on, but there was no suggestion of scooping people up and putting them in jail. He did not know who would enforce the bylaw.

Senior council officer Dr Jill McPherson said the bylaw would be developed with the help of lawyers.

It would go through a process of public consultation and be open to appeal. A court would have to appoint the police to enforce the bylaw because it was a civil law, she said.

Superintendent Brett England, of Auckland City police, said most of the problems with homeless people were of a social nature, but there was a small criminal element.

Mr England said the police had laws to deal with criminal acts, such as obstruction of the footpath or begging.

People sleeping in doorways was a grey area because it was private property and the public had right of access.

The police needed authority to move people, but in most cases after speaking with them, they moved on, he said.

Mr England said homelessness was a huge issue and until he saw a bylaw, "I wouldn't have a clue if it would help us or not".

Diane Robertson said the homeless action plan was making progress towards finding long-term accommodation, including the inner-city Mission in the City project with 80 apartments for the homeless.

She said a bylaw aimed at vagrancy, loitering and begging had some uses dealing with criminal behaviour but came with big disadvantages of punitively dealing with homeless people.

"I would be hopeful that the council are going to consult with groups like ourselves that work with people who are marginalised and may sleep in doorways to find out if there are other ways of dealing with it rather than making it criminal behaviour.

"A bylaw should be used for criminal behaviour rather than a social need."

Discover more

Opinion

Should Auckland's homeless be forced off central-city streets?

03 Dec 08:23 PM
All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Kea Kids News: Pound puppy parade!

Watch
Premium
Letters to the Editor

Letters: Why don't we have a Question Time for the public to press our politicians?

Premium
Politics

Foreign buyers ban: Peters says change to be announced this year, denies 'softening'


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

Have we lost the right to anonymity in the viral age?
New Zealand

Have we lost the right to anonymity in the viral age?

'In shock': Why Egan couldn't even celebrate after Halasima's miracle try against Knights
Warriors

'In shock': Why Egan couldn't even celebrate after Halasima's miracle try against Knights

Veteran drag racer died in 250km/h crash after parachute issue, coroner finds
New Zealand

Veteran drag racer died in 250km/h crash after parachute issue, coroner finds

'Vital document': New strategy to guide council decisions
Whanganui Chronicle

'Vital document': New strategy to guide council decisions

Royal milestone: Prince George celebrates 12 years with new portrait
Royals

Royal milestone: Prince George celebrates 12 years with new portrait

Italian stallion new hero of New Zealand breeding industry
Racing

Italian stallion new hero of New Zealand breeding industry



Latest from New Zealand

Kea Kids News: Pound puppy parade!
New Zealand

Kea Kids News: Pound puppy parade!

These puppies are looking for a home through the Auckland council, and Reporter Harvey is along for a pack walk. Video / Kea Kids News

Watch
22 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Letters: Why don't we have a Question Time for the public to press our politicians?
Letters to the Editor

Letters: Why don't we have a Question Time for the public to press our politicians?

22 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Premium
Foreign buyers ban: Peters says change to be announced this year, denies 'softening'
Politics

Foreign buyers ban: Peters says change to be announced this year, denies 'softening'

22 Jul 05:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search