Opinion: Turei misread price of telling a lie

Metiria Turei has resigned as co-leader of the Green Party. Photo/File

It comes as no surprise that Metiria Turei has resigned as co-leader of the Green Party.
Her stubbornness and stoicism came across as arrogance to some.

Arrogance about the fact that she seemed to have got away with her benefit fraud until her confession.

About time, many of our readers may say, judging by recent letters to the editor.

Even the Labour Party who, as Prime Minister Bill English put it, "are joined at the hip" with their memorandum of understanding, were eager to distance themselves from the maelstrom surrounding Greens.

New leader Jacinda Ardern confirmed that Turei would have no part of her cabinet.

It seems Turei's earlier decision to take herself out of the running for a ministerial position was clearly not enough.

The final nail in the coffin appears to have been a disastrous poll result - the same reason former Labour leader Andrew Little removed himself from his position - but with better results for his party.

Even former Green MP Sue Bradford said Turei had underestimated the risk of her admission.

Even so, a lie is a lie.
Claiming money you are not entitled to is dishonest.
While it has opened a much-needed conversation about the welfare system, do we really want someone who was willing to lie to the government, to be in the government?