19 Sep 2023

National candidate disavows anti-fluoride views

From Morning Report, 8:38 am on 19 September 2023

The National Party's Hamilton-East candidate Ryan Hamilton has disavowed his decades-long opposition to fluoridation - but won't say when he changed his mind. 

After repeatedly ducking RNZ's requests for an interview about his past views - which contradict National's - he finally answered his phone.

The conversation, though, was soon cut short.

National's leader Christopher Luxon, meanwhile, is criticising Hamilton's previous comments, while defending his candidacy.

Here's our deputy political editor Craig McCulloch.