Tamihere plans ‘JACINDA’ hotline

John Tamihere says as Auckland's mayor he would create an 0800 JACINDA hotline to call if residents see rough sleepers or beggars. Anyone who called the number would find a “person all loving and caring that knows everything about your wellbeing” on the other end, he said. A social worker would then be sent to work with the beggar. Homeless people causing a “nuisance” by sleeping rough would be asked to go with the social worker — or be in breach of the law, Tamihere said yesterday as he released his begging and homelessness policy in the run-up to October's election. Tamihere claimed he would also force social workers to change their work hours, working three shifts so someone would be available around the clock.

“We have enough social workers in New Zealand, particularly in Auckland, to deal with working oneon-one,” he said.

“With each person found on the streets, social workers, like a lot of other workers in the supply side of our economy, must wake up to the fact that social work is a 24/7 job, and there will be a requirement that they work three shifts.” Homelessness was an issue for central Government, not local government or police, he said. “The millions of dollars that Auckland Council splurges on subsidising central-government failure must stop.”

Mayor Phil Goff called Tamihere's proposals a “stunt” and “shameful”, given the seriousness of the homelessness problem. The council was already working hard to help fix homelessness, particularly through the Housing First programme, he said.