25 Jul 2017

'I am supporting her in her choices' - Turei

2:53 pm on 25 July 2017

After she made her own admission about misleading Work and Income as a young mother, Greens co-leader Metiria Turei says she has been made aware of another woman in the same situation.

Metiria Turei. 17 July 2017.

Greens co-leader Metiria Turei. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

But she is refusing to identify the woman, or notify the authorities.

A few weeks ago, while releasing the Greens families' package, she revealed she lied to receive more benefits, while raising her daughter on her own.

At Parliament this afternoon she told reporters there was a woman down south raising a child and studying, who had flatmates she had not declared to Work and Income.

"I am supporting her in her choices to be the best possible choices she can be and find the best possible path off welfare she can.

"I will never condemn a beneficiary for working as hard as they can to put food on the table and a roof over their head."

Her job as an MP, she said, was to make sure that in the future people were not put in the position of having to make such choices.

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