First move-on orders target disorder, not rough sleeping

Summarised by Centrist

Police issued 29 move-on orders during the law’s first nine days, but none was issued merely for rough sleeping or begging. Twenty-eight involved behaviour described as drunken, threatening, intimidating, disorderly or likely to breach the peace.

Four recipients were homeless, according to police data cited by Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan. However, their housing status was not the reason they were moved on. This means 25 of the 29 people had an address to which they could return.

The figures challenge warnings that the new powers would principally be used to remove homeless people from public spaces.

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge, who previously joined opposition to the legislation, said he was “delighted” with the way police were applying it.

“They have not used it to move on anybody who’s rough sleeping or begging,” Edridge said. Wellington officers had instead concentrated on people engaging in threatening or intimidating conduct, particularly drunk and disruptive people at night.

Du Plessis-Allan argued that the initial data contradicted claims that move-on orders would primarily punish vulnerable people with nowhere else to go. She said the notices provided police with a less severe option than taking disruptive people into custody.

“Surely a little piece of paper is better than the alternative, which is jail,” she said.

Labour has promised to remove what it calls the criminalisation of homelessness. National says it would be comfortable reviewing the legislation after three years.

The early evidence suggests the law is currently operating as a public-order measure, rather than the crackdown on homelessness its opponents predicted.

Read more at RNZ | NewstalkZB

Image:Ingolfson 

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