CEWH submission: Summary Offences (Move On Orders) Amendment Bill

In July 2026, the Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness made a submission on the Summary Offences (Move On Orders) Amendment Bill.

Our submission is framed using questions from the Papatūānuku Paradigm - a toolkit designed by Dr Kathie Irwin to support and strengthen the work of CEWH and the wider sector in addressing the complex issue of women’s homelessness.

When viewed through this lens, the proposed Bill falls short. Rather than addressing the structural causes of homelessness, it criminalises those living with the consequences of systemic housing failure. It prioritises enforcement over care, displacement over housing, and punishment over prevention.

Housing is a human right. Women, children and whānau experiencing homelessness need safe homes, culturally responsive support, and opportunities to thrive - not powers that simply move them from one public place to another.

The CEWH urges the Committee to reject this Bill and instead invest in evidence-based, gender-responsive, Te Tiriti-led approaches that prevent homelessness, strengthen whānau and support long-term wellbeing.