Sad Day for Politics

Kay Brereton an independent beneficiary advocate, and co-convenor of the National Beneficiary Advocacy Consultation Group says;

"I am saddened that Meteria Turei has resigned from co-leadership of the Green Party. Since the launch of the Green party Welfare policy, and her brave admission about her past she has done what we have not seen in NZ politics before, and started the conversation about the truth for people living below the poverty line, reliant on benefits for income."

"What Ms Turei has experienced in a very public way in the last few weeks is the judgement and vilification that people on benefit who are accused of fraud suffer in our society. Usually people suffer through this scrutiny of every detail of their private lives without support isolated and alone."

"Meteria has bravely taken down the screen and given everyone insight into what it is like to have your every decision examined and questioned, she has endured in public the treatment that benefit advocates witness inflicted on those (mostly sole parents) accused of benefit fraud."

"Benefit advocates thank Ms Turei for her brave sacrifice and hope that this has not been in vain, and that the conversation will continue about the struggles that people on benefits face, and the policy options that could make a real difference to their lives."

ENDS

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