Tauranga MP and Leader of the Opposition, Simon Bridges, supports the ban on begging in Tauranga

Simon Bridges, MP for Tauranga, was invited to meet with people who help the homeless after expressing his support for the proposal to ban sleep and begging

during the summer of 1992. a public meeting at Mount Maunganui. Bridges said that he had spoken to business owners and had seen first-hand the "desperate daily reality" of those dealing with the effects of begging and draft sleep on dynamics

. said that Tauranga City Council had been "far, too soft" on the issue.

"They should pass the bylaw and make sure that it is implemented and applied."

for consultation purposes, a regulation prohibiting begging and brutal sleep will be prohibited within 5 m of any retail or hospitality location.

A lawsuit was the only way to impose the ban.

that, if he ever went so far, their settlement would probably be inapplicable.

Bridges said the council should have its agents to enforce the ban but stopped saying that this should happen through the courts.

"I am not suggesting that we should make victims of it. We must be compassionate. The government can offer varied support to the homeless.

"I understand that a similar settlement worked well, not without exception, in Nelson and Hamilton."

Tania Lewis-Rickard, director of food charity Kai Aroha and organizer of a protest march against the settlement, said that Bridges' support for the bylaw was not helpful or "Solution-oriented". to tell him that he is sitting where he is sitting, he is not at the street level like us, walking in their shoes. "

She said that she would like to see him come to a meeting of Community Angels, a group Bridges said that he was open to that.

MP Jan Tinetti's working list of Tauranga said that she also supported the settlement, on the condition that it could really provide wraparound support for "

" As long as it is not shame and blame, they are trying to find solutions to help them. "

Tauranga's deputy mayor, Kelvin Clout, was one of 400 Bridges. & rsquo; meeting.

He said that & # 39; he agreed that the council had taken a "soft and gentle approach" to the question at the beginning.

"Now we have a regulation that, although imperfect, sends a strong message that we as a council, want to solve this problem. "

" It was a problem, "but he thought that, to begin with, it would mean that the agents executives would approach people in contravention of the regulation and inform them accordingly, as well as services that could help them.

the message. "

Begging: time is running out to have your say

Tauranga City Council seeks comments on its draft bylaw on the use of streets and buildings public places.

Submissions closed on August 2.

For more information, visit the Council's website.