OPINION: A "disgrace to the human race" and an "eyesore" - businessman Sir Bob Jones says he's ashamed of beggars.
In an interview with a radio station on Tuesday, Sir Bob said that it "baffles" him when people say beggars should be left alone. He says we should all be ashamed of people begging on the streets.
He didn't stop there in his attack, but I won't go there.
Unlike Sir Bob I'm not ashamed. Concerned - yes. Sad - yes. But definitely not ashamed.
In Auckland I encounter beggars regularly: outside my local Te Atatu supermarket when I'm picking up cheese I love but don't need; outside the bottle shop when I'm grabbing some wine; in Newmarket getting more Nespresso capsules.
On many of these occasions I'm spending money on luxuries I've convinced myself I deserve for whatever reason.
When I walk out of a store and see someone sitting there on the cold, dirty concrete with their cap laid out in front of them, I give what I can.
It's usually just loose change. But in my eyes, if I have the luxury of buying a bottle of wine or a wedge of triple cream brie, I can afford to pass on change to someone who I feel is in need.
You're probably now asking: "But are they really in need?"
I've heard all the arguments - they make lucrative amounts in a day, they use scare tactics, they've got an iPhone.
Even my husband (who also gives to beggars) made a comment about the shoes being worn by a beggar we encountered the other day.
"His shoes are worth, like, 300 bucks," he told me.
The fact is I don't notice the shoes. I don't notice the clothes or the phone.
I notice a person - another human being sitting silently as people rush past with all their shopping bags. A person who, in my eyes, needs help.
Many are currently questioning whether begging should be made illegal in New Zealand.
While no one seems to have an answer, it is clear these people need support at a higher level - whether that's accommodation assistance, mental health care, or workplace training.
Beggars are not a disgrace. They are people who simply need help.
Dianna Vezich is a Newshub reporter based in Auckland.
