Shock old images surface of Health Minister’s new anti-vaping campaigner
The Albanese Government’s new high-profile anti-vaping brigade has a hazy past. See what is says online
NSW
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The federal government has endured an embarrassing 24 hours after photos of a TikTok influencer vaping were circulated online, hours after he was recruited in a high-profile campaign to educate young people on the harms of vaping.
Photos of comedian Jaxon Fairbairn holding a vape last June have circulated online after he was revealed as one of the stars of a $250,000 campaign designed to make young people stop vaping.
The photo was shared by Fairbairn to his 132,000 Instagram followers last year and reappeared on X after Health Minister Mark Butler yesterday announced him as one of eight TikTok stars recruited for the campaign.
In another post last December, Fairbairn was tagged in a photo holding a vape.
His publicist told The Daily Telegraph he had quit vaping in June.
When asked about the December post, the publicist said he had not seen Fairbairn vaping in person since June and suggested someone could have handed him a vape at the December event.
Mr Butler yesterday said the campaign included stars with first-hand experience of vaping harm but only mentioned Wollongong influencers Zahlia and Shyla Short, who were with him at the launch, as experiencing the damage of supporting a family member to quit vaping.
The group, which also includes cricketer Ellyse Perry and gamer JackBuzza, are popular with Australians aged 14-20 and will use their social platforms to combat misinformation about vaping, Mr Butler said.
He defended his decision to recruit Fairbairn and his comedian brother Lachlan, saying there was no one better to talk about the risks of vaping.
After the images went online, the duo said they were not “holier than thou”.
“I’ve vaped in the past and I’ve learnt that it’s far worse than smoking for your health,” Jaxon said.
“But the messaging was always focused on it being cleaner, which I was convinced of.”
The pair said they would handle the issue of vaping education in a relatable way.
“We won’t be talking down to our audience and we’re not out here to demonise everyone,” they said.
Mr Butler said two out of five young people have vaped.
“A number of the young influencers have personal experience with vaping … who better to talk about the risks of vaping than young people who have first-hand experience?,” Mr Butler said.
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