The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand has confirmed anti-poverty campaigner Ricardo Menendez March as their candidate for Maungakiekie in this general election. Ricardo Menendez March has been working as the Coordinator for Auckland Action Against Poverty, fighting for liveable incomes, access to healthcare and good quality public housing. He has been consistent and effective campaigner for fair compensation for state housing tenants affected by the meth-testing regime, ending benefit sanctions, a change of culture at Work and Income and for the Government to build enough state homes.
 

"I am looking forward to campaigning with the Greens this year to ensure our Government goes further on addressing our inequality and climate crisis. I too know what it is like to be a couple of paychecks away from homelessness. I've worked long shifts, cleaning cinemas and making coffees for most of my adult life to get by. The truth is, working families are working harder and longer every day, struggling more and more to make ends meet.", says Ricardo Menendez March.

"I’m in the Greens because it is the only party that has been consistently fighting to lift benefit levels, for state housing for all and taxing the wealthy few so that we can fund public services for all of us. As a confidence and supply partner the Green Party has made a great start at addressing these issues, but we need to go further and faster. Successive Labour and National Governments have promised us change, but working people are having to queue at Work and Income to make ends meet. Wealthy property investors are making a killing out of the housing crisis while more people are struggling to pay the rent. Our Government still allows polluting companies and fossil fuels corporates to make a profit while destroying our environment, and we witness the effects of the climate crisis every week.

"This election we need a stronger Green Party vote to take welfare, tax, housing and environmental reforms to the negotiating table. The other parties have not come to the table to increase benefit levels, fair-pay agreements and a proper just transition programme to ensure we create green jobs for the future.

"Maungakiekie is at the heart of our fight for a cleaner environment and ending poverty. Supporting and funding grassroots efforts to improve the water quality in the Manukau Harbour and building public housing to address the rising cost of rents in the area is central to Green Party values.

"I'm honoured to be bring my knowledge, expertise and relationships with working families to change our political system so that it works for all of us"

ENDS

© Scoop Media