In Parliament today, Chris Hipkins put Prime Minister Chris Luxon on the spot, asking a simple, blunt question if the Government is considering banning homeless people from central business districts?
Luxon’s response was characteristically evasive. He insisted there had been no Cabinet decisions or discussions on the topic, yet there was a hesitation in his tone that suggested this is not something the Government has not at least thought about. It is as if they are testing the waters before they act. Hipkins pressed on, but the answer remained deliberately vague.
Now, I will be honest. I can see where this is coming from. Walking down Queen Street, being hassled every few steps by beggars asking for a dollar or a cigarette I do not even smoke, is exhausting. I have seen them pissing in shop doorways, leaving rubbish all over the footpath, drinking, and verbally abusing passersby. Let us not pretend this is a matter of deprivation. Almost all of them are receiving benefits, and many have state houses to return to after their begging shifts. It is a situation that makes shopping, working, or even just walking through the CBD unpleasant, and unsafe.
In my view, banning the homeless from central business districts is not only understandable, it might be necessary. The last thing anyone wants is a city centre overrun with people whose behaviour actively degrades the public space and makes it unwelcoming. There is a difference between providing support for those in need and allowing a lawless, chaotic presence to dominate areas that should be safe and functional for everyone else.
Of course, there is a broader social responsibility. Nobody wants people to be left without shelter or support. But there comes a point where the comfort and safety of the wider public must be considered. If a law were introduced to restrict where the homeless can hang out, it would not be a callous crackdown. It would be a practical measure to restore order in public spaces that have become untenable for ordinary Kiwis.
