Letters to the editor: Begging ban outrage 'ill-informed'

A city councillor says upset at a proposed begging ban is ill informed. Photo / File

Ill-informed hysteria

In regards to begging and rough sleeping in our city.
I find the uninformed hysteria being generated by people who should know better frustrating. Dr Kate Amore saying it was an out of sight, out of mind approach is ill-informed. The ban is only limiting where they can beg or rough sleep. That is, within 5m of a retail or hospitality premises. The ban is not against those who find themselves in difficult circumstances. It is against begging and rough sleeping in a manner that is potentially destroying the livelihood of others and bringing stress and disrepute to our city.

The ban, if it gets through, won't be in place until November or December this year. By then I am hopeful we will have most people housed. For those who are more difficult to provide for we will have the bylaw to assist us. Those that supported the ban did so in order to focus attention on finding a solution for all concerned.

I am committed to doing everything I can to help and provide for those that need help but I will not back away from protecting our wider community from harm. We can and will do both.
Terry Molloy
Tauranga City councillor

In reference to the feature on abortion law reform (Inside Story, June 16). It is contended that the law review being conducted by the Law Commission is fatally flawed. The Government is using the Law Commission as a cover to implement what is in my view an unprecedented attack on the Crimes Act which protects the lives of all New Zealanders in the womb. The killing of the unborn is in my opinion a justice issue, it is not a health issue. The Government's proposal will, in my view, effectively mean that those unborn who are classified as unwanted will be deprived of the protection of the Crimes Act and allowed to be killed. However, the unborn children who are classified as wanted will retain the protection of the Crimes Act and of the State. In my opinion, this is an abhorrent and unprecedented violation of human rights, it is discrimination against the most vulnerable members of our human family. If today the Government can legalise the killing of the unborn as a health issue, tomorrow the state could legalise the killing of those with dementia and Alzheimer's. It should be of concern to the community and the media that the minister has not asked the Law Commission to consider if the Government's proposal is just and in the best interest of women and the unborn.
Ken Orr
Right to Life spokesman