Failure to follow the order is subject to a $2,000 fine or up to 3 months in jail.

The behaviours mentioned in the video (that are not in the draft explanatory note pdf):

  • Behavior indicating an intent to inhabit a public place
  • Rough sleeping
  • All forms of begging
  • Breaching the peace
  • Obstructing or impeding someone from entering a business
  • Disorderly, disruptive, threatening, or intimidating behavior

Hon Mark Mitchel (Minister of Police) chimes in at 10:23 to acknowledge that the people subject to the order are vulnerable people.

At 17:54 a reporter asks about descretionary enforcement and Mitchel confirms the planned use of selective enforcement which increases the risk of targeting marginalised populations.

The YT comments are gold.

Full RNZ article: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/587562/government-announces-homeless-move-on-orders-for-all-town-centres-not-just-auckland

This was also reported on in November '25.

  • BaconWrappedEnigma@lemmy.nzOP
    14·
    4 days ago

    There’s some type of irony in the penalty being free housing (jail), or blood from a stone ($2k penalty).

    I was just looking for the cost of keeping someone in jail fro 90 days and it looks like Bernard HIckey beat me to it:

    Govt threatens to imprison homeless for 90 days at a cost of $49,680 per person Govt to empower Police to ‘move on’ homeless with threat of three months prison, costing taxpayer $552 per person per night; Govt adds 2,000 prison beds since election & delivers 420 new homes

    From: The Kaka https://thekaka.substack.com/p/govt-threatens-to-imprison-homeless

    • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
      3·
      3 days ago

      penalty being free housing (jail),

      Watch as more homeless people exploit* this loophole. 90 days in jail is way better than being homeless in winter.

      * it’d be cheaper and more humane to just house these people