Source: Taxpayers Union
24 FEBRUARY 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEResponding to the revelation that Ricardo Menéndez March applied for an emergency MIQ slot not once, but twice, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Jordan Williams says:“We broke this story on 9 February, meaning Menéndez March has had more than two weeks to front up with the full detail of his queue-jumping attempt. Instead, New Zealanders have only found out today that he applied first as a ‘critical health service’, and again as ‘required for national security’ – and it took a Parliamentary question to Minister Chris Hipkins!”“Menéndez March’s ongoing failure to front-foot this affair stinks of a lack of humility and a disregard for the taxpayers who fund his salary. His Party Leaders should have insisted on transparency back in December when they learned he was headed to Tijuana.”“We can only assume he chose to be secretive because he knew his grounds for an emergency slot were laughable. He’s a minor party spokesperson for Food Safety – hardly a critical health worker. Even more bizarre was his appeal to ‘national security’. How does jetting in a socialist from Tijuana help to secure New Zealand’s national security?!”“He’s barely been in the job for four months, but he’s already severely eroded his credibility to the public. After we broke this story, he told his supporters that he never wanted the exemption. Now we learn he applied twice!”“New Zealanders would no doubt thank the Green co-Leaders if they chose to sack Mr Menéndez March and bring in the next candidate on their list, distinguished environmental campaigner Steve Abel.”Disclosure: Jordan Williams is a former member of the Green Party, but resigned well prior to Mr Menéndez March first moving to New Zealand.
