Homeless sleeping under National billboard at City Mission

  • Updated
  • 06/09/2017
The photo of homeless people sleeping under a National billboard on the Auckland City Mission has gone viral on Twitter.
This photo of homeless people sleeping under a National Party billboard has over 300 retweets. Photo credit: Ana Samways

An image of homeless people sleeping beneath a National Party billboard is making the rounds on Twitter.

The photo, posted yesterday by Ana Samways from NZME's Sideswipe column, shows a National campaign billboard on the side of the Auckland City Mission on Hobson St.

Several people can be seen lying in sleeping bags on the street below the billboard, which reads "Keep NZ Moving Forward".

Another person's legs can be seen protruding from the windows of a car parked directly beneath the billboard.

The photo, which Samways said she took herself yesterday, has been retweeted more than 300 times.

It has since been reimagined by Kit McLean, who posted a photoshopped version to Twitter that changed the billboard's slogan to "Keep Inequality Growing".

Another photo of unfortunately-placed National billboards was also posted yesterday by Dayle Belcher.

The photos come after Monday's Newshub leaders debate, in which Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said she'd march in the streets to end homelessness, of which New Zealand has the highest level in the OECD. 

Prime Minister Bill English, meanwhile, said he would march "for the right to govern this country".

When approached for comment a National Party spokesperson said "We have a range of billboards all over New Zealand."

Newshub.