Port Macquarie fluoride poll: Councillors move motion to rescind $90,000 community poll
Port Macquarie Councillors will move to scrap a controversial fluoride poll and take the matter straight to NSW Health at Monday night's council meeting.
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A community poll asking residents to vote for or against the fluoridation of the Port Macquarie-Hastings water supply looks set to be scrapped by the very proponent who called for it in the first place.
Three Port Macquarie councillors, including fluoride poll architect Deputy Mayor Lisa Intemann, will table a rescission motion at Monday night's meeting to scrap the $90,000 question on local government election day that asks “Do you want Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to permanently cease adding fluoride (hydrofluorosilicic acid) to the drinking water supply”?
The move comes after Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams slammed the poll last month as a waste of ratepayer’s money.
Mrs Williams said she was “appalled” by the poll, which was to be held on December 4, stating that there was no way NSW Health would not support a decision to discontinue the use of fluoride in the region’s drinking water.
A new motion will now put be forward tonight to replace the poll, which will effectively bypass the council's question to the public in favour of a more direct approach to the state government.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard had also raised concerns about the poll and the current lack of fluoridated water in the town's drinking supply.
He wrote to the council 'urging' it to recommence the process which was stopped during the 2019 drought 'as soon as possible'.
Should the rescission motion be successful, the council will accept a public invitation by the Mrs Williams to engage in direct talks with NSW Health regarding water fluoridation locally.
A report will also be provided to the October Ordinary Council meeting on the community poll process to date, including its financials.
Earlier
MP slams council’s ‘wasteful’ $90k fluoride poll
August 2, 2021
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams has slammed a council’s fluoride poll as a waste of ratepayer’s money, saying NSW Health will not support a decision to discontinue the use of fluoride in the region’s drinking water.
Mrs Williams has spoken out for the first time on the issue since Port Macquarie-Hastings Council endorsed an April recommendation to hold a community poll on whether to cease or continue adding fluoride to the LGA water supply.
Mrs Williams said she was “appalled” that the poll, which will be held on December 4 in conjunction with the local government elections, will use $90,000 of ratepayer-funded money that will achieve no change.
The comments come a week after The Mid-North Coast News spoke with Fluoride Free Australia, who have kickstarted an anti-fluoride campaign pushing for residents to vote for its removal.
It is a view not supported by Mrs Williams or NSW Health.
“It is incredibly disappointing that we are spending ratepayers’ money on a community poll when no matter what the outcome, the removal of fluoride from our drinking water will not be supported by NSW Health,” she said.
“Fluoridation of drinking water is a safe and effective way to help prevent tooth decay in the community which is one of the most common health problems in Australia that can have a serious impact on overall health and wellbeing.”
Mrs Williams has taken her concerns to NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, who has penned a letter to the council advising that it reconsider its approach to the poll.
The council adopted the poll question asking residents “Yes or no: Would you prefer that council stop adding fluoride (hydrofluorosilicic acid) to the public water supply?”
But that now looks set to change after Mrs Williams made representations to Mr Hazzard noting that the council has already temporarily discontinued the use of fluoride in the Hastings River.
The letter sent to the council by Mr Hazzard urges caution on the wording of the poll, and that council reinstate the permanent use of fluoride which was temporarily stopped during the 2019 drought.
“In relation to the status of fluoridation of the water supply in the Port Macquarie−Hastings council LGA, I am advised that council temporarily ceased fluoridation of the Hastings District and Wauchope water supplies in November 2019 due to a lack of flow in the Hastings River,” Mr Hazzard wrote.
“Further, I am advised that following heavy rains in early 2020 council was able to start taking water from the Hastings River and return the fluoridation systems to operation in March 2020.
“However, while council resumed fluoridation of the Wauchope drinking water supply at the Wauchope Treatment Plant on 9th April 2021, it has not recommenced fluoridation of the Hastings District Water Supply despite a recommendation to do so by the Public Health Unit following advice received by NSW Health from the EPA.
“I share Mrs Williams’ concerns that the community of Port Macquarie have not been made aware that fluoride has in fact not been added to the public water supply for over 18 months despite the community poll question which infers that fluoride is currently being added.
“I urge council to continue to work with NSW Health and EPA to ensure the recommencement of fluoridation in the Hastings District system as soon as possible noting that council is eligible to apply for a 100 per cent subsidy for the cost of a new or temporary dosing system.”
The advice from the Health Minister has now resulted in a notice of motion by Port Macquarie Mayor Peta Pinson to be tabled at Wednesday’s Council meeting.
It requests the wording of the poll now be changed to: “Do you want Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to permanently cease adding fluoride to the drinking water supply?”
Yes voter and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council deputy mayor Lisa Intemann has previously said it’ll be up to the new council come December to decide what happens with the results from the vote.
“It will provide one important piece of information, which is - ‘what is the community view on this?” she said.
Mr Hazzard said NSW Health strongly encourages water utilities to add fluoride to water supplies, allowing communities to receive the proven benefits of fluoride.
“Mr Stewart Dowrick, Chief Executive, Mid North Coast Local Health District, has confirmed that support of fluoridation is based on many years of reliable evidence and the ongoing support of the National Health and Medical Research Council,” he wrote.
The matter will be discussed at the council meeting on Wednesday.
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