A Christian response to the ‘move-on’ orders.

The government is criminalising homelessness, through legislation to force rough sleepers out of public view and threatening them with fines and imprisonment if they have nowhere else to go.

What is proposed:

People rough sleeping, begging or just ‘inhabiting’ a public place aged 14 and over will face fines and prison terms if they fail to comply with move-on orders proposed by the Government under new legislation.

Why this is wrong

At the heart of our faith is a radical claim: every human being, regardless of their bank account or the roof over their head, bears the Imago Dei—the Image of God. This divine dignity is inherent; it cannot be stripped away by poverty, and it must not be ignored by the law.

The biblical story tells of radical belonging. It is never to "clear the streets" of those experiencing poverty, but to "share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter" (Isaiah 58:7).

Housing and support solve homelessness, not enforcement. The government have announced this punitive approach while actively making homelessness worse through cutting emergency housing and slashing support for wraparound services. This policy won't work, and will also make homelessness more difficult to address.

What the solutions are

Dozens of agencies and experts, and those experiencing homelessness know what solutions to homelessness are, namely for the government to:

• Roll back the emergency housing changes and resource immediate housing solutions.

• Fund health, addiction and outreach services that work with those rough sleeping

• Implement duty to assist legislation

• Build public housing at scale

How we can respond

As a movement of Christians seeking the flourishing of Aotearoa, we cannot remain silent while poverty is treated as a nuisance rather than a tragedy. We must call for policies that provide housing for the homeless and care for those who need it. We are crossing a moral threshold. This is a time for the Church to speak up in defense of those that Jesus put at the centre of his ministry.

Here are the 3 things we recommend you do right now before the ‘Move-on’ legislation is passed:

1. Email and call the offices of key government Ministers to express your opposition

2. Pray with others in your faith community that compassion would prevail, and to discern how to respond if this is passed

3. Sign up to hear more from us about mobilising your church to respond to homelessness

The below email template can be used as a guide for emailing or calling key government Ministers. We strongly recommend you personalise this, as using your own words makes your message much more effective.

• Email / calling template

  Subject: Opposing "move-on" orders: A call for compassion and dignity

  Tēnā koe [MP Name],

  I am writing to you today to express my deep concern regarding the Government’s announcement to grant New Zealand Police "move-on" powers.

  As a person of faith, I believe that every person in our community carries inherent, God-given dignity. Our laws should reflect a commitment to the flourishing of all people, particularly those our systems have pushed to the margins.

  The proposed "move-on" powers—which allow police to force people from public spaces under threat of a $2,000 fine or imprisonment—do the exact opposite.

  Why this policy fails our community:

  • It criminalises poverty: In practice, this will target our neighbours experiencing homelessness or mental health crises. Forcing someone to move when they have nowhere safe to go is not a solution; it is an act of displacement that strips away their dignity.

  • It lacks compassion: This policy arrives without a corresponding package of support. Without investment in housing or social services, these orders simply push the "problem" out of sight, further isolating people from the very help they need.

  • It is punitive, not restorative: A fine or a prison sentence for being visible in a public space does nothing to address the root causes of poverty. Justice should be about restoration and healing, not punishment for the "crime" of having nowhere to go.

  I urge you to listen to the dozens of agencies and experts, and those experiencing homelessness know what solutions to homelessness are, namely for the government to:

  • Roll back the emergency housing changes and resource immediate housing solutions.

  • Fund addiction, health and outreach services that work with those rough sleeping

  • Implement duty to assist legislation

  • Build public housing at scale

  Our shared responsibility

  The biblical story calls us to protect those experiencing poverty and to ensure that our public squares are places of manaakitanga (hospitality) rather than exclusion. We should be a nation that moves toward those in need with support, not one that moves them on with the threat of a jail cell.

  I urge you to reject these move-on powers and instead advocate for policies that uphold human rights and provide genuine pathways into housing and care.

  I look forward to hearing how you will stand up for the dignity of all New Zealanders.

  Ngā mihi,

  [Your Name]

  [Your Address/Contact Info]

• Choose a Government Minister to email

  By clicking on one of the below email addresses, an email will open in your default email with our pre-filled template, which we recommend you personalise
  
  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon: c.luxon@ministers.govt.nz, christopher.luxon@parliament.govt.nz

  Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown:
  s.brown@ministers.govt.nz, pakurangamp@parliament.govt.nz

  Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith:
  p.goldsmith@ministers.govt.nz, paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz

  Police Minister Mark Mitchell:
  m.mitchell@ministers.govt.nz, mark.mitchell@parliament.govt.nz

  Housing Minister Chris Bishop:
  c.bishop@ministers.govt.nz, chris.bishop@parliament.govt.nz

• Choose a Government Minister to call

  Calling a Minister’s office to express your concern is a powerful way to convey public pressure. Use the talking points in the emailing/calling template above.
  
  To reach their office, you will need to call Parliament’s reception and ask to be connected to the specific Minister’s office.
  
  Parliament Phone number: 0800 7273 6282
  
  Or you can call one of their electorate offices:
  
  Prime Minister Christopher Luxon: 09 532 8390

  Police Minister Minister Mark Mitchell: 09 426 6215

  Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith: 09 5244930

  Housing Minister Chris Bishop: electorate office 04 5668580

  Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown: 09 5720000