The National Party's standing by its Hamilton East candidate after his anti-mandate and anti-fluoride comments surfaced.
Ryan Hamilton says he made the comments 10 years ago and has since changed his views. But some of his remarks aren't quite that historic.
Hamilton for Hamilton certainly has a ring to it. The candidate has been working hard to get fit for the fight to make it happen.
"I would like to think I would be a strong MP for Hamilton East," said Hamilton.
But on Monday he was outed for harbouring anti-fluoride and anti-vaccine mandate views.
He said it was 10 years ago.
In 2013 he posted on Facebook: "Get rid of fluoride. The poverty issue is redundant, most lower socioeconomics fill their tap water with raro so pull the other one."
Hamilton told Newshub he regretted that.
"I apologise for any offence that may have caused."
The National leader, Christopher Luxon, said those comments "are offensive and they are wrong".
"His comments were well-known, but his position has changed."
Hamilton said he's now changed his views on fluoride, which is added to drinking water to prevent teeth decay.
Changed to fit in with National - and Christopher Luxon - both are very pro-fluoridated water.
Before the National Party changed Hamilton's mind, he held other anti-views.
Newshub can reveal he's previously courted the support of anti-vax groups.
In a Telegram chat in June last year, one group posted an email in which Hamilton said: "You may recall we made contact around the terrible mandates."
"I was the only councillor who was explicitly opposed… I am reaching out for the slightly uncomfortable, non-Kiwi way of seeking your support."
When Newshub put it to him that he had been communicating with them, he said: "Well I am not sure if they are members or what they are, but that was two years ago during a Hamilton City Council discussion around council mandates. It has got nothing to do with my role now."
He also supported someone on Facebook who called on Luxon to explain why he hadn't fought against mandates.
Asked what he made of Luxon's handling of the mandates, he said: "I have no comment on that."
But Hamilton of Hamilton wasn't the only under-fire candidate on Monday.
In 2019 Deborah Rhodes - now a Labour list candidate - was strongly opposed to the Gardasil vaccine which is given to teenagers to help prevent cervical cancer.
Rhodes said in a now-deleted Facebook post, the vaccines were "nothing short of criminal" and that Gardasil should be removed from schools, saying it was "poison from big Pharma".
Labour leader Chris Hipkins on Monday said: "Happy to look at that. I don't believe that to be true."
It appears Rhodes no longer believes her comments to be true.
She released a statement saying she now thinks the Gardasil vaccine is safe and effective.
