Losing Metiria Turei

I am devastated over the loss of Metiria from the co-leadership of our Green Party and from Parliament. I had such hopes that there was finally someone in Parliament that understood the plight of people in poverty and what's more, had a vision for what needed to be done. In all the years since the eighties when Rogernomics /neo liberalism took control, there has been absolutely nobody who cared enough to stand up like Metiria had. Nobody. Nobody gave a damn. 

I brought up my children n on a benefit and it has marked them. Not always for bad, there are skills they have learnt because of poverty. But that is because, I as their mother, also had good skills. One skill that is incredibly important while in poverty is the ability to get hold of any money you can from wherever. As Metiria has been telling the country in her own example. We lie, if you like, or stretch the truth, or withhold information. We now people's lawns under the table, babysit other people's kids, clean other people's houses, the list goes on. These are things we can do while our kids are at kindy or school. I think that over the years I have done all of those things, probably every other beneficiary as well. I did not write #IamMetiria lightly. So if Metiria has committed fraud, so have I, and so have thousands of others. We do this to feed our kids, to put food on the table, to buy them shoes and coats. We do it because, as Metiria has been telling the country, the benefits were set at 20% below the breadline in the early nineties and never altered since. 

So with my teenage twins still at home around 2009, I received $340pw approx. From that $210 was rent. Old cold uninsulated house was $60pw at least to heat. Leaving $70 to live on, food, clothing, transport, school fee, school trips, etc for 3 people.

For all those people who say those of us struggling are immoral, let me ask you about the immorality of allowing people to live like this, of turning your backs on us. The immorality of expecting people to live on such low amounts of money. And then hitting them while they are down.

I am alright now, I only have to look after me. My children are grown and they all have good jobs. But so many other people are still struggling and it is even worse for them than it was for me and mine and it breaks my heart. And I am heartbroken now that Metiria has gone. And I see Kennedy as one contributory factor to Metiria giving up finally, and therefore, I for one, do not welcome him back.