Ministry likely to explore Greens co-leader’s admission on welfare
The Ministry of Social Development has indicated that it is likely to take a look at Greens co-leader Metiria Turei’s admission that she lied about her benefit two decades ago.
A spokeswoman said yesterday that the ministry could not comment on individual cases.
“What we can say is, that when we are told that someone has taken advantage of the support available, we will look into it, through our normal processes.”
Announcing her party’s welfare reforms on Sunday, Turei revealed that she never told Work and Income about the extra flatmates who were paying rent in her house in the 1990s.
Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett said yesterday she did not think Turei should be investigated.
Bennett, who similarly received a benefit as a solo mum, also said she had never “deliberately lied to or misled” Work and Income NZ herself.
Bennett told the AM Show that Turei’s confession was disappointing but she did not agree Winz should pursue her over it.
“No, she can just be judged on her own merits and others can make that kind of decision. It’s just not my call to make.”
Asked whether she ever lied to or misled Winz to get her full benefit, she said: “No I didn’t. I certainly never deliberately misled Work and Income or did anything like that.”
Asked what she meant by “delib- erately”, Bennett said: “I’ve never lied to them. I never told them I was doing one thing and not another.”
She added that she had “never led a perfect life” but she had “certainly never deliberately misled them or took money that I shouldn’t have”.
Turei said that if she was investigated by the Ministry of Social Development, she would pay back the money she owed. She had “no idea” how much she owed.
She defended her confession, saying the public wanted politicians to understand their lives.
“Thousands and thousands of New Zealanders have had to be in the situation of trying to figure out how to live on a benefit and do so without keeping secrets from Winz.”
It is not yet clear whether Turei broke the law. If she lied on an application form about her circumstances, she could be charged with fraud — which would force her to leave Parliament.