The Government’s this week announced it will give police the power to issue move-on orders in town centres across the country to people who are displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening or intimidating behaviour. 

It has caused quite a stir.

No doubt it was welcome news to many people who live and work in the city centres where this behaviour has become an issue. 

The new laws give police the power to require a person to leave an area for a specified time - up to 24 hours - and it will be up to the police officer to determine the distance, and whether any support is required for the person being moved-on.

In theory - these new powers will make city centres safer and more welcoming, respond to the business community’s concern that rough sleepers harm economic activity, and will help connect homeless people to support services.

But we all know that the issue of homelessness is complicated and nuanced, and that temporarily removing the problem from sight does nothing to fix the problem.

The Police Association said it would be a drain on resources. Retail NZ welcomes new tools for police but doubts their long term usefulness. The Auckland City Mission is looking into how it can become a legal refuge so people in need can still access their facilities. 

In short, no one seems convinced by this plan.

The police do need to have the power to deal with serious cases of disorder, and to prevent harm, but they alone are not responsible for solving this issue. 

For a start, I doubt they have the time. Then there is the Government’s phasing out of police attendance at mental health incidents to reconcile, when we know people experiencing homelessness often face significant mental health challenges.

There are other issues that are sign-posted by the name - ‘moving on’. The ‘problem’ can come back the next day, or it simply shifts the problem somewhere else.

Enforcing move-on orders doesn’t create housing or ensure social services support - it will more likely just displace people to parks, suburbs or less visible areas, without addressing the underlying issues.

Homeless people often sleep near town centers because that’s where food banks, health services, probation services and community support providers are located. Moving them out of these areas could make it harder for outreach workers and social services to find and help them, reducing their access to essential support.

And on top of all this, to enforce it all - we’re threatening to fine or imprison some of our most vulnerable people. Imprisonment doesn’t solve homelessness, and a criminal record can make it even harder for a person to secure work or housing in the future.  

Police Minister Mark Mitchell acknowledged that every situation will be different, and police had the expertise to assess and determine what support would be required. This is where the police and the New Zealand public may  have different ideas as to what to expect from these new powers.

Homeless-free central cities across New Zealand? Not likely. 

The Government’s move-on law may provide businesses and the wider public with short-term relief from visible homelessness and anti-social behaviour.

But without meaningful investment in housing and support services, it risks criminalising vulnerable people, fracturing service access and merely 'sweeping the problem under the rug'.

True solutions require addressing the structural causes of homelessness, building trust with affected communities, and creating inclusive pathways out of homelessness - not just expelling people from sight. 

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