Wellington community leaders have issued an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon opposing the Government’s proposed “Move‑On” orders, warning the policy risks harming vulnerable people and fails to address the causes of homelessness.
The letter—coordinated by the Wellington City Mission—has been signed by Wellington Mayor Andrew Little, Porirua Mayor Anita Baker, other regional mayors, iwi representatives, social service agencies and some local church leaders. While the headline framing the release suggested broad church leadership involvement, the signatories represent individual leaders rather than the full spectrum of New Zealand churches.
The group argues that the region has been working collaboratively across councils, police, health providers, iwi and NGOs to support people experiencing homelessness, and that the proposed legislation undermines that progress.
Mayor Andrew Little said the united response was intended to show the Government that the region’s leadership does not believe the policy will work. “If they’re serious about dealing with the issue, we need to focus on underlying solutions—not cosmetic measures that shift the problem somewhere else,” he said. Little acknowledged public frustration with antisocial behaviour but said the orders offered “no real solution”.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said most people living on the streets were dealing with complex challenges including mental health struggles, addiction, and a lack of housing options. She warned that the proposed $2000 fine sent the wrong message. “How are they even going to pay that? They can’t afford to be in a house,” she said.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith rejected the criticism, calling the letter “overly simplistic”. He said the orders were not criminal charges and would only lead to prosecution if ignored. “This is about reclaiming our streets and city centres,” he said.
Police Association president Steve Watt questioned whether police had the capacity to take on additional responsibilities, saying frontline officers were already stretched and that homelessness required specialist support rather than enforcement.
Helmut Modlik of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira said the legislation added “another layer of mistreatment” and failed to address the reasons people end up living rough.
The Government is expected to continue advancing the legislation despite the regional pushback.