To be honest

Metiria Turei commited fraud, no matter how much she dresses it up. I’m astounded the co-leader of the Green Party thought it acceptable to tell the entire country she cheated the welfare system. Her delivery of that announcement was made with some sort of misguided justification and lack of remorse. Surely, as a politician and a supposed woman of honour, she should have behaved better? The welfare system isn’t a bottomless pit and we are so lucky to have such a system in place. There aren’t many New Zealanders who haven’t been thankful for it at some stage in their lives and it should be treated as a benefit, not a source of rip-offs. Life can be tough, but to lie and cheat to better yourself, then enter politics and to almost brag at having cheated the system – is this the true standard for a politician? J McPeake, Hamilton The winning letter receives $100. The runner-up wins a copy of Need You Dead by Peter James (Macmillan,

RRP $34.99).