by Cameron Slater on July 19, 2017

Metiria Turei is an affront to all those of us who have been on a benefit and not committed fraud.  Her assumption that it is the norm to commit fraud takes my breath away.

Her lack of understanding that what she did is wrong and her blithe statement that she will give it back if she is asked shows that she does not consider it morally wrong to steal and that everyone else does it.

Well I didn’t.  I remember laboriously filling out forms, terrified that I would get it wrong and that they would take the benefit away from me.  It never occurred to me to lie.  And I know many people like me.  Most people do not commit fraud when they think they are not getting enough money – they try to get by.

Not only did she commit fraud, she also got enough money to do a law degree – paid for by the WINZ equivalent.  That would have been a lot of money and many students would have been delighted with the amount of support she received.

How dare she try to change the rules to work for other fraudsters like herself!  We are not a corrupt country, but what she is doing is saying that corruption is a way of life and the rules should be changed so it is no longer corrupt practice to take more than you are “entitled” to.  And of course entitled is now such a dirty word to those of us who pay the bills for her fraud.

The next thing she will be asking for is an apology from the Government for forcing her to steal, and restitution for her loss of integrity!

Give me strength!