Communities Are United As They Come Together To Oppose The Move-On Orders – Common Grace Aotearoa

Despite mass opposition to the proposed move-on orders from community, businesses and front-line organisations, the National-NZ First-ACT government has chosen to introduce the Summary Offences (Move-On Orders) Amendment bill.

This bill will see ‘rough sleeping’ and ‘begging’ added to the Summary Offences Act and give police the powers to displace and criminalise homeless whānau.

“The Government has made political choices which has led to an increase in homelessness. They shut down emergency housing, cut services and stopped building homes. Now they are actively pushing through legislation which will criminalise people for not having shelter,” says Agnes Magele, community advocate.

“When you’ve been homeless, you understand move-on orders don’t end homelessness, they just move you on somewhere else with the same struggles. It doesn’t address the root cause, it just displaces people from public spaces and breaks them away from support they actually rely on. What’s needed is real housing, more public housing, wrap-around support, and pathways out of poverty so people aren’t just being moved around, but actually helped,” says Magele.

“The Move-On Orders are cruel and dangerous. Kick Back has significant concerns for the impact that these orders will have on young people and children experiencing homelessness. Every child, every young person, every member of our community, should have a safe place to live. When people experience homelessness, they need help, not handcuffs. We have a solution to ending rough sleeping in our city centres, and it’s simple. House the people!” says Aaron Hendry, Kick Back, General Manager

“The Government can end homelessness, to do so they need to build more public housing, invest in outreach and immediate housing services, roll back their emergency housing policy, and implement Duty to Assist legislation to ensure that when people need support, they get it. It’s never been clearer that homelessness is a political choice. We can make different ones.” says Hendry.

Communities across Aotearoa came together for a National Day of Action to show their solidarity and support for homeless whānau in their communities. Communities are joining together again to write submissions that draw a line in the sand and demand a different kind of future for our cities and town centres.

In Tauranga, the community will gather for a shared meal, joining in the weekly Mana meal for the homeless community in Greerton. “We’re inviting people to join the meal, bring a dish to share and take the opportunity to write their submission while they are there,” says local organiser Angela Wallace.

There will be in-person events in Ōtepoti Dunedin and Ōtautahi Christchurch to write submissions on the different bills that are going through parliament at the moment.

Church communities are among those taking action. Across the country, congregations have been writing submissions in small groups and after their Sunday services.

“We believe that people experiencing homelessness deserve the utmost care, not punishment. Moving people on is not a solution to the complex challenge of homelessness. We call on the government to wind back this cruel proposal, and on opposition parties to commit to repealing the legislation,” said Kate Day, Co-Director of Common Grace Aotearoa.