Turei will not be silenced on poverty

The Christchurch Progressive Network has organised a public meeting for Green MP and former co-leader of the Greens, Metiria Turei, to speak about the devastating effects of poverty in a land of plenty.

Following her release of the Green Party policy on social welfare along with personal revelations of the struggle she faced as a solo mother in the 1990’s, a media-led campaign of harassment, denigration and demands for her resignation followed to the point where she resigned her co-leadership of the Green Party in order to protect her family and avoid distraction to the Green election campaign.

In the meantime the new Labour Party leader threw her under a bus saying Turei would not get a cabinet position in a Labour-led government.

The real danger now is that poverty and inequality will be pushed into the background.

Both major political parties would prefer these critical issues were not at the centre of political debate but we refuse to have them side-lined. Labour and National are competing for the chance to run the economy for the next three years for the benefit of the rich alongside the marginalisation of the poor. Neither party has so far produced any policy to make a significant difference to those struggling in poverty.

Metiria Turei is the Green Party candidate for the Te Tai Tonga Maori seat. There has been such a strong outpouring of support for Metiria's brave stand to draw attention to the challenges of living on the margin as a result of current government policies. "Donations and volunteer support is pouring in for the Green's Te Tai Tonga campaign," says Progressives supporter and Green activist Charles Drace.

"There is now a real possibility that Metiria will take the Te Tai Tonga seat away from Labour."

ENDS

© Scoop Media