Anti-fluoride groups in the Bega Valley are celebrating a stay of execution of the fluoridation of the Tantawanglo-Kiah and Brogo-Bermagui water supplies in the shire after council agreed to look further at the material they presented.
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There were cheers and applause in council chambers on Wednesday as councillors agreed to defer the vote on whether to fluoridate Bega Valley Shire water supplies.
Rob Slazenger, of Bermagui provided data relating to the use of of fluoride in a number of western industrialised countries which he said showed some of the the non-fluoride users had better dental outcomes than those who did use it.
“Currently the best performer is Denmark, without any form of artificial fluoridation,” Mr Slazenger said.
He also produced records from NSW Health of council’s water fluoridation dosage data.
There are four water supply systems in the Bega Valley Shire, Tantawanglo-Kiah, Brogo-Bermagui, Bemboka and Bega-Tathra. Fluoride has been added to the Bega-Tathra water supply system since 1963 and council is now considering adding fluoride to the Tantawanglo-Kiah and Brogo-Bermagui water supplies.
The whole process has been a sham.
- Greg Ferguson, Pambula
The data supplied by NSW Health appears to show gaps in record keeping and an extended period of fluoride overdosing between March and May 2010.
Mr Slazenger said that daily fluoride dosage readings were mandatory. A dose of 1 part per million (ppm) in water is the recommended amount but overdosing varied from 30 to 97 per cent in the figures given to Mr Slazenger.
All presentations referenced the possibility of council referring the decision to NSW Health with speakers reminding council that it should be councillors’ own decision.
Greg Ferguson, of Pambula said a transfer of the decision to NSW Health would be a mockery of the democratic process.
“Council would be tainted as gutless. The whole process has been a sham,” Mr Ferguson said adding that the use of Hunter H2O as a community consultant was “a gross conflict of interest”.
Fraser Buchanan, representing the Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association criticised the process of consultation and the potential for councillors to refer the decision to NSW Health.
“This is not why you were elected. Your role is to support your community not the NSW Health. We believed our views would be respected but this is a betrayal of trust,” Mr Buchanan said.
Your role is to support your community not the NSW Health.
- Fraser Buchanan, BVSR&RA
“On a personal note I think it is totally wrong to force medicate anyone, particularly infants,” Mr Buchanan added.
Councillor Russell Fitzpatrick said he felt no obligation to transfer the matter to NSW Health.
“I totally agree it’s a decision of this council. No way should there be an abrogation of our authority on this matter,” Cr Fitzpatrick said to applause from the floor.
Director transport and utilities Terry Dodd mentioned the “voluminous” nature of material presented.
“Given the number of comments it would be unreasonable to try and digest these today,” Mr Dodds said and asked for time to review them.
