Ōtaki Community Board candidate Graham Fox is continuing to spread misinformation by attempting to convince other candidates that they should not support vaccine mandates.

In an email obtained by Ōtaki Today, Fox refers to a “meet the candidates” meeting last Wednesday (Sept 21), in which he was the only candidate not to attend. Chair Ann Chapman asked if he was in attendance, indicating he had not offered apologies.

In his email to other candidates dated today (Sept 26), he did, however, say that “our rep” attended – but did not say what or who that person represented. Fox is a media liaison for the anti-vaccine group NZDSOS.

The email showed Fox was concerned about the stance of other candidates, his “rep” advising “that you folks were all pro the vaccine mandates”.

“I also was a 'true believer' in these mandates at one stage and had two Jabs.. till I realised the many lies being spread in the Mainstream media like RNZ who I worked for during a 15 years stint,” his email said.

He continued with untruths about the World Health Organisation (WHO) being a private company with the backing of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“So they are not really an 'independent' UN organisation looking after the best interest of World Health, they have to do what their funders wish and have an agenda to sell vaccines and other drugs.. pure and simple. Two years ago I was totally ignorant of this fact myself.”

He promoted a discredited video from Spain – claiming to be an uncensored documentary about the truth of the pandemic – that he said “pretty much covers all the bases with world experts who document the scientific facts that have been censored form the MSM [mainstream media] and they are  easily proveable  ..”

Anti-vaccine groups are pushing for their supporters to join local politics in the current elections. Fox did not state in his candidate statement that he supported NZDSOS or had extreme anti-vaccine/anti-mandate views.