Candidate affiliations with anti-vax group questioned
Candidates for Dunedin’s West Harbour Community Board have spoken out about Voices For Freedom affiliations clouding the election campaign. Two candidates who have had affiliations with the anti-vaccination, anti-mandate group organised a candidates’ forum this month and it was chaired by Tracey Pita, a former Dunedin branch co-ordinator for VFF.
Dr Steve Taylor was one candidate who was concerned about lack of transparency around the event, as it was not stated in public advertising who was to chair it.
Ms Pita is also standing for the Dunedin City Council, and for the Saddle Hill Community Board.
“The lack of transparency deprived the public of the opportunity to do their own research, consider the affiliations and evaluate the independence of the chair and the neutrality of the event,” Dr Taylor said.
Dr Taylor said the event on September 17 was organised by West Harbour Community Board candidates Simone Montgomery and Veronica Jackman, who have both said they have had VFF affiliations.
Ms Jackman indicated this was in the past.
Ms Pita said she and her husband, Watson Pita, who is standing for the Otago Regional Council, left VFF in May to re-establish their business.
Jacque Ruston, who said she did not support VFF, was disappointed other candidates avoided attending the event.
“Those of us who attended found a warm, welcoming, well-organised event,” she said.
It was well chaired, she said.
Community board member and candidate Duncan Eddy said the forum was run much the same as others.
Another community board candidate, Dr Barbara Anderson, said candidates were invited without being informed who the MC was.
“When we did find out through other means and questioned the appropriateness of having … [this] MC we were met with very curt replies,” Dr Anderson said.
“I feel Veronica Jackman’s involvement with VFF was fairly well signalled but I was unaware when I accepted the invitation to attend that Simone was also very linked to VFF.”
Dr Anderson was among the candidates who decided not to attend.
Voices For Freedom has described itself as a not-for-profit grassroots advocacy organisation defending New Zealanders’ freedoms.
It has also been accused of spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and has had complaints upheld against it by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Dr Anderson said she also requested clarity about funding, because there were expectations of payment or koha from candidates and the public.
Dr Taylor said he wanted transparency about the costs associated with the event.
“Transparency and communication are essential to healthy community and local government,” he said.
Candidates Marian Poole and Antonia Wood both had concerns about transparency.
Ms Montgomery said she had no comment and attempts to contact Ms Jackman were unsuccessful.
Other forums have since been held that did not have VFF connections.
Ms Ruston doubted the objectivity of one such meeting.
“The forum organised by the group who organised the boycott was stacked with their own friends who supplied all the questions,” she said.
Dr Anderson and Dr Taylor rejected this and said attendance at two such forums was diverse.
“There was no prior collusion between any of the panellists and the questions being asked,” they said in a joint statement.
“The ground rules were stated online and reinforced by the independent chair.”
“Team Pita” is running a candidates’ event this week at Oceanview, posted on the Saddle Hill Community Board Facebook page.
“We created this event at Oceanview to create some community spirit and have invited candidates out of the goodness of our hearts so they can connect with the local Saddle Hill area,” Tracey Pita said.
This article has been archived for your research. The original version from Otago Daily Times can be found here.
