Questioning the values of the WCC

"It's good that the attack on the homeless is stalled, but justice will only be done when the values that drove the bylaw are history", says Public Space spokesperson Lenka Rochford.

The push behind this bylaw has been to sweep the homeless away from the city centre, so they are out of sight. Some councillors clearly value business demands over civil rights.

Public Space strongly believes that community groups, who actually work with the homeless, and the homeless themselves, should have a proportionately greater representation on the taskforce on the homeless.

After the formation of the taskforce, Prendergast said that the council should ensure that the public can enjoy public places without 'fear of intimidation'; she has again forgotten that the homeless are members of the public too.

We question her commitment to the taskforce.

Public Space believes the right to exist in a public area belongs to everyone. Everyone should be able to do as they wish in these spaces, as long as they do not undermine the safety or well being of others.

"This council requires constant hounding and may even need for Wellingtonians to take to the streets before it will sit up and truly listen" spokesperson Lenka Rochford concluded.

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