A high-profile Australian conspiracy theorist and anti-vaccination campaigner has announced he's running for the country's Senate.
Pete Evans, a former cooking TV show star, will stand for The Great Australian Party (GAP) in New South Wales.
"Pete Evans has maintained his principles and inspired others in the face of uncommon adversity," said Rod Culleton, a former member of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party and current Senator for Western Australia.
"Pete Evans has consistently demonstrated courage in exposing matters of public information and interest, provoking much needed debate despite personal cost to himself," Culleton continued.
"I believe Pete Evans will effectively and diligently represent GAP's growing membership base and all NSW constituents. Pete possesses the essential attributes required to challenge the status quo and restore the rule of law as defined in our constitution.
"It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Pete and welcome him on board as GAP's first federal candidate for the NSW senate."
Evans found fame as a judge on TV show My Kitchen Rules, but nowadays is better known for spreading misinformation about vaccines and making unfounded health claims.
Last year he made headlines for falsely claiming COVID-19 wasn't contagious (more than 100 million people have contracted it to date) and calling it a hoax, as well as sharing a neo-Nazi meme, which saw him dropped by TV networks and book publishers.
Evans also called New Zealand's successful effort to eliminate COVID-19 from the community a "scam".
In the past he's encouraged fans to stare directly at the sun, publicised anti-vaccination petitions, campaigned against fluoridation and expressed support for twice-impeached former US President Donald Trump.
