Fox puts himself forward as an alternative to major parties

Husband, father of three, chef, teacher and
now a Federal Election candidate, Benjamin
Fox has nominated to contest the Seat of
Parkes with the aim of giving people an option
to the major parties.
Mr Fox has joined the Informed Medical
Options Party (IMOP) which advocates for the
end of vaccine mandates and medical discrimination.
After growing up in Parkes, Mr Fox is now
based in Dubbo.
He said he decided to run for parliament
when he was “personally effected by the extreme
overreach of our government and the
Department of Education”.
After 11 years of teaching, his career came to
an abrupt end when he decided not to attest to
his vaccination status.
“I discussed it with other affected people and
thought ‘why not throw my hat in the ring’,”
Mr Fox said.
He was endorsed as the IMOP candidate for
Parkes in mid November 2021 and said it has
been “a big long bumpy ride” since.
“It’s a massive area and I don’t have a huge
team but the party has contested other elections
– mainly in NSW and Queensland – so this is
not our first gig.”
“We are slowly building up momentum and
everywhere I’ve been I found people who were
over the moon to have someone represent
them,” he said.
“The idea of having less government, less
bureaucracy and less infringing on individual
freedoms is what is ringing true with people
across the region.”
His main motivation is to change the government’s
mandating of vaccinations.
“We are sovereign, individual people and
should have a right to decide on whether to
take an experimental vaccine.
“It should be our own personal choice without
coercion,” he said.
“When your livelihood is on the line and it’s
the only way to keep your job – that’s coercion.”
Mr Fox is also a passionate advocate for
mental health and would like to be a voice for
people struggling with mental health issues and
offering support for their carers.
A passionate teacher, who is committed to
providing students with opportunities to unleash
their passions, Mr Fox believes there
should be more opportunities for self-directed
student learning.
He said instead of being restricted by what’s
“on offer” at the school they attend, students
should be presented with opportunities that
align with their passions and knowledge set.
Mr Fox wants to see an end to medical discrimination
across education, the broader community
and society as a whole.
The IMOP was formed in 2016, in response
to Morrison Government’s ‘no jab, no pay’
policy of the time and continues to work so that
the people of Australia will have an option
other than the major parties.