A petition has been launched by the Gwarehouse in Port Macquarie to give the community a chance to have their say on the issue of water fluoridation at the local government elections in September, the company has said.
Local members of the Fluoride Action Network Australia are delighted that Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has responded positively to a request for a community poll on the issue, the Gwarehouse said in a statement.
Caree Alexander, retired dentist and local spokesperson for the group, said council had advised that a poll would be held if more than 1000 local residents petitioned council no later than three months prior to the election.
“This is a big step forward from council,” Dr Alexander said,
“In 1991, a community poll was held in association with local government elections, returning a vote of over 70 per cent against water fluoridation.
“Not since 1991 have we had a council willing to listen to the community on the controversial issue of water fluoridation.
“Since 1990, the evidence of adverse health effects from fluoride consumption has been mounting,” she said.
In 2004, NSW State Health approached council to hand over the decision to fluoridate, and by a vote of 6-3 the councillors agreed.
Council has since built a fluoridation facility at the Rosewood Road Reservoir, substantially funded by the NSW Government.
Dr Alexander said the decision to hand the matter to the NSW Government was undemocratic, and the present NSW Government appears to support the democratic approach.
“In a letter dated December 15, 2011, Leslie Williams Member for Port Macquarie, wrote to me stating that “Fluoridation has always been a matter for local government to decide, taking into account the wishes of their ratepayers’,” Dr Alexander said.
“Local members of the Fluoride Action Network are now circulating a petition calling for a poll in September, and we are confident local residents will support the call for a community decision on whether a silicofluoride compound (H2SiF6) should be added to local water supplies,” she said.
The petition must be submitted to council no later than three months prior to the Council elections on September 8.
For further information and petition forms, call 65812411 or email gwarehouse@bigpond.com
Petitions can also be downloaded at www.gwarehouse.com.au
Council’s stance on fluoride poll
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Administrator Neil Porter has clarified statements made by local members of the Fluoride Action Network that a community poll could be conducted on the issue of water fluoridation at the Local Government elections in September.
Mr Porter said in the context of a discussion with a community member on the process required to conduct a poll on any issue of concern at the next Local Government election, he advised that Council no longer has a formal policy in place regarding polls.
This policy was revoked in June 2010.
However, Mr Porter advised that there are steps that can be taken to formally request Council to consider conducting a poll at the next election on an issue of concern affecting residents of the Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA.
These include submitting a formal application with demonstrated evidence of strong community support (i.e. a petition containing at least 1000 signatures submitted at least three months before the election).
Mr Porter added that there is considerable cost involved in engaging an independent person or organisation to develop the “for’ and “against’ case for the poll question(s) and for a poll to be conducted.
On the issue of fluoridation, Mr Porter will not support an application for Council to consider conducting a poll at the September elections. He said Council has been directed by the NSW Minister of Health to fluoridate the Hastings water supply and conducting a poll on the issue is not appropriate given this direction.
The Ministry of Health is currently finalising approval for the commencement of fluoridation in Port Macquarie-Hastings with a decision expected within the next week.
When approval is granted, Council will notify residents of the date fluoridation will commence.
