John MacDonald: Is this really the best way to deal with rough sleepers?

On Saturday night I was in Lyttelton for a gig and saw a guy sleeping on the bench outside the local supermarket, which took me a little bit by surprise. 

Maybe I need to get across to Lyttelton more often. 

But that’s the kind of thing we will see way more of if the Government goes ahead with this idea of banning homeless people from congregating and sleeping rough in central business districts. 

Because instead of being an answer, it just raises another question: where would they go? 

We know where they’d go. The suburbs. They wouldn’t go away. And even though I can’t stand being asked for money all the time when I walk through town, some sort of CBD ban isn’t the solution.  

It would start in Auckland apparently and eventually be implemented elsewhere around the country.   

This hasn’t come from the Government itself, which is being all mealy-mouthed about it. It’s come from Newstalk ZB's senior political correspondent, Barry Soper. He says the Associate Housing Minister, Tama Potaka, has been talking to community housing providers and has suggested to them that such a law is on its way. 

Now I’m a realist and I know that we are never going to get rid of homelessness. That’s because there are so many things that lead to someone not having a roof over their head.  

And I reckon most of us are only two or three steps away from being homeless ourselves. 

It wouldn’t take that many setbacks in our life before we looked up one day and realised we were sleeping under a blanket on Hereford Street or Queen Street. 

But banning rough sleepers from downtown areas is not the answer because what happens when the rough sleepers start moving into the suburbs?

I know the Government will say “aww, we’re not just kicking them out, we’re providing the old wraparound services.”

But this isn’t a solution, it’s just moving the problem elsewhere. And, if I had to choose where in town the rough sleepers should be, give me the CBD any day.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News Talks AB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Meantime on Saturday night. Yes, Saturday night, I was
in Littleton for a gig at a great evening and
I was walking down London Street, went past the Fresh
Choice supermarket and there was a guy sleeping on the
bench outside, which took me a little bit by surprise.

(00:34):
I mean, maybe I need to get across to Littleton
more often. I am a regular visitor, but it still
taught me by surprise when I saw him there. But
that is exactly the kind of thing we will see
way more of if the government goes ahead with this
daft idea of banning homeless people from congregating and sleeping
rough in central business districts daft idea because instead of

(00:58):
being an answer, it just raises another question. Where would
they go? We know where that go. They go to Littleton,
they go to the suburbs. They wouldn't go away. And
though even though I can't stand being asked for money
all the time when I walk through town, I mean,
I'm being honest with you, I've got a heart, but

(01:19):
I'm just over being approached all the time. But do
you really think some sort of CBD ban for the
homeless and the rough sleepers, do you really think that's
a solution. It would start in Auckland apparently and eventually
be implemented elsewhere around the country. So it's safe to say,
isn't it christ Church? What are we second largest city
in the country that would make a second cab off

(01:42):
the rank. Now, this hasn't come from the Government itself,
which has been all merely mouthed about it. That's come
from newstalksb's senior political correspondent Barry Soper, who says the
Associate Housing Minister Tarma Portaker has been talking to community
housing providers and he has suggested to them that such

(02:05):
a law is on its way and these providers they're
having some sort of meeting on Friday. Know whether it's
about that specifically, we don't know, but that's that's what
Barry's heard. And Labour's got a whiff of it too,
and Leader Chris Hipkins quiz the Prime Minister about it
in the House yesterday.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Is the government considering a law change to ban homeless
people from central business districts?

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Are there have been no cabinet decisions or discussion on
that topic.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
Are supplementary question. If booting people out of emergency accommodation
has fixed the homelessness problem, why is the government now
considering changing the law to ban homeless people. This government
has delivered housing affordability for people who want to purchase
a house or to rent a house.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Now. Viv Beck, she was on with Mike this morning.
She's the CEO of the Heart of the City Business
Association in Auckland, and when she was on with Mike,
it's sounded like she's in the know about all of this.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
I can say that the Minister for Auckland, I mean Brown,
has has picked this up and working with other ministers.
As you know, people like make Mitchell timea potaker and
the discussions I've been involved in are very constructively looking
at how do we deal with the economic risks which
are real, and how do we look after people who
need support. So, as far as I'm concerned, we've seen

(03:25):
good progress.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
And she is hoping that the government doesn't lose its nerve.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
We need to be bold about this. We do have
to care for people. We've got a track record of
caring for people. The reality is, though we cannot leave
it the way it is. It does need a game change,
and I really hope the politics don't sabotage a really
important issue that needs resolving.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Now. Look, I'm a realist and I know that we
are never going to get rid of homelessness. That's because
there are so many things that lead to someone not
having a roof over the head. And you've probably heard
me say this before that I reckon most of us,
maybe all of us are only two or three steps
away from being homeless ourselves. It wouldn't take that many

(04:06):
sat backs in our life before we looked up one
day and realized too, actually we're sleeping under a blanket
on Hereford Street. And banning rough sleepers from downtown areas
is not the answer. I mean people living in town
and all the new apartments in the townhouses and Christ churchs,
they might be up for it. Well, what happens when

(04:27):
the rough sleepers start moving into the suburbs, which they're
doing already in some parts of town. But there would
be a truckload more if this idea of the governments
goes ahead. And I know the government will say, oh no, no, no, no,
we're not kicking them out. We're providing all the old
wrap around services. But you know, dream On, this isn't

(04:48):
a solution. It's just moving the problem elsewhere. And if
you said to me, you've got to choose, and if
I had to choose, where in town the rough sleepers
and the homeless should be Give me the CBD any
day

Speaker 1 (05:02):
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