Metiria Turei's demise due to 'race, gender and class' - academic

  • 13/08/2017

For the last three weeks, the actions of former Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei have polarised our country.

Her admission that she omitted to declare to WINZ that she had flatmates while a solo mum at university unleashed a tsunami of opinion. 

Ms Turei herself said politics comes at a price, and this week she paid with the termination of her 15-year political career.

Ms Turei's claim that she struggled to provide for her child has been analysed from every possible angle.

Finally, on Thursday night Turei opted to resign - saying that the scrutiny of her whanau had become unbearable.

Māori academic Dr Leonie Pihama described the coverage as "a clear attack that is grounded in the fundamental right-wing ideologies of race, gender and class".

Law lecturer Khylee Quince, Gisborne City Councillor Josh Wharehinga and political journalist Maiki Sherman shared their views with The Hui's Mihingarangi Forbes.

Watch the video for the full discussion.

The Hui