Editorial: Qld held to ransom by anti-fluoride brigade

Queensland is being held to ransom by a vocal few who refuse to believe the science that proves water fluoridation improves health outcomes, writes the editor.

David Crisafulli (right) with then premier Campbell Newman in 2013

Queensland is being held to ransom by a vocal few who refuse to believe the science that proves water fluoridation improves health outcomes – and have somehow convinced more than a few of our elected officials to buckle to their tinfoil threats.

State Health Minister Tim Nicholls was right in 2008 when he told Parliament fluoride was possibly the last single remaining medical initiative in Queensland to ensure good health for all of us.

But since that time it has become an almost taboo topic – particularly in regional parts of the state, where misguided councillors continue to debate fluoride’s scientifically proven merits.

In doing so they are allowing conspiracy theorists to influence public health policy.

And the state government is little better.

In 2012, the Newman government reversed a 2008 Labor government decision to finally mandate fluoride in Queensland’s water supplies.

Campbell Newman was not anti-fluoride, he was at pains to point out – he just believed it was a decision for councils.

Reversing the mandate proved to be a mistake, with now just 72 per cent of Queenslanders having access to fluoridated water, compared with 90 per cent of the Australian population, after 51 of 77 councils decided not to allow it.

Dentists and other medical professionals are rightly alarmed, and that’s why The Courier-Mail has launched the State of Decay campaign to highlight the health and societal issues that come with removing fluoride.

It will be hard to put the genie back in the bottle, with the Covid-19 pandemic and social media exacerbating the reach of conspiracy theorists who have relentlessly bombarded councils and state and federal MPs with anti-fluoride propaganda that is simply untrue.

Sadly, the effectiveness of this campaign to make politicians choose lies over science means we will not be holding our breath for the Crisafulli government to do the right thing.

But it should: and it knows it.

In 2008, there were just three members of the current government in opposition – Mr Nicholls, current Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek and the now-Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Fiona Simpson when former Labor Premier Anna Bligh mandated fluoride.

Mr Nicholls told parliament: “When the Premier announced it I actually wrote a letter to her saying how impressed I was that this government was able to put aside some of the fearmongering and the scaremongering … and to take possibly the last single remaining medical initiative in Queensland to ensure good health for all of us.”

Mr Langbroek – a dentist – was just as supportive: “I make no apologies for the fact that fluoridation has been one of my top priorities.

“While I acknowledge fluoridation is an emotive issue, I also know that good policy is not always popular policy”.

Ms Simpson also said she supported fluoride.

And since that 2012 decision we have tragic proof why it must be. As we reveal today, Queenslanders are being hospitalised with preventable dental diseases at a higher rate than the national average and kids are having all their rotting baby teeth removed,

In 2008, Mr Nicholls said that governing was about helping those people who would benefit the most from these sorts of initiatives.

As a community we stared down the anti-vax brigade during Covid-19 to ensure enough of us were vaccinated for the greater good.

It is time to do this again with fluoride.

Governing requires courage.

THANKS A MILLION FOR RESCUE

Queensland race fans had an early win yesterday with the news that the Magic Millions race day will go ahead on Saturday at the Gold Coast track, as scheduled.

Staff at the Gold Coast Turf Club have been working around the clock to get the track up to scratch since last Saturday when it was discovered that a section had been poisoned.

It is not yet known exactly how that happened, but sabotage is suspected.

Regardless, the turf club staff should be congratulated for saving the day and avoiding a last-minute dash to Eagle Farm.

The meeting will go ahead at the Gold Coast Turf Club, with about 25,000 spectators expected to watch the racing and entertainment by the likes of Irish pop superstar Ronan Keating and Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes.

All we ask anyone lucky enough to be going is that in the midst of the celebration, you remember to raise a glass to the ground staff who enabled the meeting to go ahead.

Oh, and gamble responsibly.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: Qld held to ransom by anti-fluoride brigade