Lying is the New Greenist Truth

Hypocrisy and Mendacity on Steroids

Green Party Leader, Metiria Turei went all candid over the weekend.  In one of the most egregious appeals to pity yet seen in this radical left-wing party, Turei confessed that while she was attending law school she had been so poor, she lied and broke the law in order to survive.  At least, that's her telling of it.

Green Party Metiria Turei concedes she could still be charged with fraud after she admitted lying to authorities to keep her benefit.  In her biggest speech of the year, Turei made the extraordinary confession while announcing her party's plans to dramatically reform New Zealand's welfare system.

Speaking at the Green Party AGM in Auckland, she said that as a solo mother on a benefit she did not tell Work and Income NZ that she had extra flatmates who were paying rent.  At a press conference afterwards, Turei said she could still face consequences for her illegal behaviour 24 years ago.  [NZ Herald]

Her appeal to pity in a nutshell: "I was impecunious so I lied and broke the law".  But this was not an honest confession.
 Rather she was offering it as a justification for her lawbreaking.  Society (aka, the government) had failed her because she did not have enough money to support herself.  Allowing people to get into such impecunity was a great evil that justified her lying and breaking the law.  Therefore, in a Green-led or Green-influenced government money without rules, regs, or means testing would be dropped from on high upon everyone who needed it, or wanted it for that matter, lest they become so desperate they lie and break the law.

So, who was to blame for this unethical, disreputable behaviour?  Turei, according to TVNZ, said:
"That was what being on the (social welfare) benefit did to me - it made me poor and it made me lie."  Let any criminal try that self-serving, blameshifting, special pleading in a witness box and see the result in the real world!

Then came the most hypocritical afflatus we have ever heard from a politician (and that, dear reader, is saying something):

An audience of around 250 people at the [Green] AGM were silent as she revealed her story, but nodded along and made encouraging noises, one member saying "ka pai Metiria". She admitted that her admission could hurt her or the party, but said she wanted the Greens to be "defined by our truths", not by lies.

For the Greens, "our truths" amount to: it's OK to tell lies to nullify any means-testing for government benefits.

Postscript: 

After delivering a passionate speech about poverty, Turei sheepishly admitted to reporters that she was driving a late-model BMW during the election campaign, while noting that it had been loaned by a friend and ran on electricity.

The self-righteousness of priggery knows no bounds.