Retail NZ has told the Justice Committee that the Summary Offences (Move-on Orders) Amendment Bill would give police the power to order rough sleepers — or people as young as 14 showing disorderly behaviour — to leave a public space. The bill was introduced by Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and amends the Summary Offences Act 1981 (RNZ).

A select committee is a small group of MPs who examine a bill in detail and hear from the public before it goes back to the full Parliament for a vote. Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young appeared before the committee on 16 July 2026 to make the retail sector's case.

Young told MPs that people who sleep rough or beg are not inherently disorderly, but may sometimes behave that way because of addiction or mental health problems (RNZ).

She called for the removal of clauses that target groups of people rather than specific behaviours. She said she supports move-on orders being used to break up genuinely disruptive behaviour outside shops, but argued the orders do not fix the underlying problems (RNZ).

National MP Rima Nakhle pushed back, telling the committee that South Auckland retailers have reported feeling intimidated by beggars near their stores (RNZ).

Retail NZ had already flagged its position as one of partial support. In a February 2026 media release titled 'Move-on orders seen as partial help for retail,' the organisation set out its stance ahead of the select committee process (Retail NZ).

The Justice Committee opened the bill for public submissions on 22 May 2026. The deadline was 11.59pm on Thursday, 2 July 2026 (Parliament of New Zealand). The bill's parliamentary identifier is 54SCJUST_SCF_27DD41AB-ACD3-4AFA-A59F-08DEB151B1C7 (Parliament of New Zealand).

Police Association President Steve Watt also questioned whether the bill is needed. He said police officers are being asked to solve complex social issues that go well beyond their remit (NZ Police Association, 14 July 2026). Watt had raised similar concerns on 30 June 2026 (RNZ).

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said on 30 June 2026 that the bill is being 'mischaracterised' (RNZ).

The broader context here is the tension between giving police a law enforcement tool and dealing with the social problems behind why people are on the street in the first place. The bill gives police a directive power to move people — including 14-year-olds — from public spaces. Retail NZ's position sits in the middle: the organisation supports the tool for genuinely disruptive behaviour but opposes provisions it says target who someone is rather than what they are doing. The Police Association's scepticism adds weight to the argument that police are being asked to manage social issues that sit outside their core function.

The submissions window closed on 2 July 2026. The committee is now hearing oral submissions, including Retail NZ's evidence on 16 July 2026. The bill amends the Summary Offences Act 1981 and remains at the committee stage (Parliament of New Zealand, 27 May 2026).

Three dynamics are worth watching as this bill moves forward. First, whether the committee accepts Retail NZ's call to remove provisions targeting groups rather than behaviours. Second, how the Police Association's concerns shape the committee's report back to Parliament. Third, whether Goldsmith's 'mischaracterised' framing holds up as submitters present their evidence in public. The bill's progress through the Justice Committee will signal whether the government keeps its current position on including rough sleeping within the scope of move-on orders.