“It read ‘age is a question of mind over matter - if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter’.”
Smith is anti-vaccination, of all kinds, and also anti-fluoride in drinking water.
“I would fight for the utmost for the repeal of what now is compulsory fluoridation,” he said, if elected.
Health experts say fluoride is a safe, affordable and effective method of preventing tooth decay, while all vaccines used in New Zealand have been tested for safety and effectiveness.
Last July, the departing director-general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, directed a list of councils including Hastings District Council to add fluoride to their drinking water within three years. More councils such as Napier could be directed to do the same in the coming years.
Smith said he would also like to see “the use of Reserve Bank credit which was successfully done by our first Labour Government in 1935″.
Smith refuses to call himself a retiree and spends three months a year picking and helping with the apple harvest to stay fit.
Napier’s other candidates include Katie Nimon (National), Mark Hutchinson (Labour), Julienne Dickey (Green Party), Martin Langford (Democracy NZ), Laurie Turnbull (NZ First), and Pawel Milewski (Act).
Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.
