Rough sleeping ban in central Auckland considered by government

Government ministers have confirmed they are considering measures to move homeless people out of Auckland’s city centre - but the exact details remain unclear.

Asked for more details, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said he had been tasked with ensuring police had the tools they needed to tackle public disorder.

“It’s blindingly obvious to everybody that the CBD, particularly of Auckland, but a lot of places, have been characterised by disorder and real concern around public safety,” Goldsmith said. “We’re open to some new suggestions in that area.”

Asked specifically whether he would consider a ban on rough sleeping, Goldsmith said: “We’re working our way through those issues… when we’ve got something to announce, we’ll announce that.”