Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Social services say they are seeing alarming numbers of rough sleepers in the capital, with a constant stream of new people trying to get help.
It comes as an announcement by the government about move on orders for the homeless looms - with legislation expected to be introduced soon.
In the last two quarters of 2025, outreach teams dealt with between 30-40 people "never seen before", Downtown Community Ministry's chief executive Natalia Cleland said.
Before that, from the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2025, there was a 40 percent increase in rough sleeping each quarter, she said.
About 160 people were sleeping rough in Wellington within the past three months, Cleland said.
"I feel that whilst the numbers of people rough sleeping is high and it's terrible, it's actually quite disheartening as well to see new faces coming through the doors asking for services."
Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge agreed.
"There's no question in my mind that the need we are seeing in our community, and the desperation of peop
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