An overwhelming majority of New Zealanders think Greens Co-Leader Metiria Turei was wrong to commit benefit fraud.
It's been two and a half weeks since her admission that she lied about the number of flatmates she had while on the benefit between 1993 and 1998.
- Patrick Gower: Metiria Turei's political fraud is ripping off the New Zealand public
- 'I am Metiria': Beneficiaries share struggles with WINZ
- Verity Johnson: The only reason I want to vote is because Metiria Turei lied to WINZ
- More questions raised about Metiria Turei's living situation
In the latest Newshub Reid Research poll 74 per cent of Kiwis said it was wrong for Ms Turei to lie to get a bigger benefit. Eighteen percent said it wasn't wrong and 8 percent didn't know.
The vast majority of National, Labour, and NZ First voters said it was wrong for Ms Turei to lie to WINZ, as well as more than half of Green voters:
Ms Turei was not surprised about the poll result. "I've had emails from Green people saying I don't agree with what you did, I wouldn't have done it, but I understand your attempt to to open up the conversation around poverty," she said.
"And that's what I want the most - for people to be talking about what poverty looks like and how we're gonna fix it."
The Newshub-Reid Research poll was conducted July 20-28. 1000 people were surveyed, 750 by telephone and 250 by internet panel. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
Newshub.
