But its policy manifesto reveals a preoccupation with homoeopathy, home birthing and conspiracy theories about medical research. It supports parents who decline "invasive medical procedures [or] interventions" and calls for Australia to embrace a "different paradigm" in the treatment of chronic disease. The film Vaxxed will no longer screen at the Castlemaine film festival. Credit:Thinkstock The party also seeks to overturn the Turnbull government's "no jab, no pay" policy, which denies welfare benefits to families that do not vaccinate their children. It wants more research on "adverse reactions" caused by vaccines. The lead Senate candidate in NSW, who could become the next lucky Senator Leyonhjelm, is party founder Andrew Patterson – a 57-year-old naturopath who runs a clinic and sanctuary on the NSW mid-north coast. Mr Patterson could not be telephoned because he lives outside of network coverage, but he answered questions by email. Like others in the party, he rejected the "anti-vaxxer" label.

"We are not anti-vaccination," he wrote. "But we are opposed to coercion requiring people to be vaccinated or medicated without their informed consent." Health Australia Party founder Andrew Patterson. Health Minister Sussan Ley said scientific research confirmed immunisation was "the safest and most effective way to protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases". Parents who failed to do so were putting their children and others at risk, she said. The Health Australia Party also opposes fluoride in the public water supply and supports chiropractic treatment of infants with colic. One of its candidates, former Queensland Liberal National MP Jason Woodforth, has previously railed against fluoride as "bullshit".