Metiria Turei needs to pay the money back
16 JULY 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Now that Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei is a member of “the 1%” she needs to pay back the money she received from
Work & Income as a result of her lying about her living situation to claim benefits as a single-mum, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.
Responding to Ms Turei’s admission today that she lied to Work & Income about her living situation while a student in the 1990s because she needed the money, the Union’s Executive
Director, Jordan Williams, said:
“Putting aside the moral question of whether Ms Turei was justified in breaking the law back in the 90s, now that she
can afford to pay it back, she must do so. Ms Turei’s ideological view that government is best placed to help the most
vulnerable, now that she is part of the 1%, she should reimbuse the government with interest.
"Using Ms Turei's own reasoning, it's the most vulnerable who miss out if she doesn't pay the money back, now that she
can afford it.”
“Lying to Work & Income about subletting rooms, is no different to a tax evader cheating on their taxes because they decide they need
more money."
“Now Ms Turei is an MP, earning around $200,000 per year, the very least she can do is pay back the money she's additted
to having defrauded.”
ENDS