‘Peeved’: Former Cook Shire mayor joins call for state mandated fluoridated water supplies

A vote to remove fluoride from a southern Cape York council’s water supply could lead to more communities following suit with a longtime former mayor urging the state government to finally intervene.

Former Cook Shire mayor Peter Scott overlooking Cooktown and the Endeavour River.

A vote to remove fluoride from a southern Cape York council’s water supply could lead to more communities following suit with a longtime former mayor urging the state government to finally intervene.

Cook Shire Council will decide whether to keep the tooth saving mineral in its Cooktown tap water at an ordinary meeting next month with councillors urged to conduct their own research and consultation.

The council has also put off the purchase of new fluoride dosing equipment to replace its ageing infrastructure at the Annan water treatment plant, estimated to cost just $10,000.

The historic Far North Queensland town of Cooktown is located about 330km north of Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

But former mayor Peter Scott, who advocated to keep Cooktown’s supply fluoridated during his tenure, said he expected more regional Queensland councils to opt out of treating its water if Cook’s councillors voted against it.

“It could very well be a watershed moment in a very deleterious way where other councils say, ‘Oh, well. Cook Shire has ditched it. We may as well too,’” Mr Scott, who retired last year after 16 years as mayor, said.

“I’m still strongly in favour of it for the same reasons I was back then. It works wonderfully for kids. The evidence is there and that’s what I’m mainly concerned with.”

The overwhelming majority of regional Queensland councils don’t provide fluoridated water to their residents. Picture: NewsWire

Consultation with health workers and pro and anti fluoride advocates had informed the decision to keep the mineral in the water supply the last time the issue emerged, Mr Scott said.

In 2012, former premier Campbell Newman gave councils the choice to opt out of mandatory fluoridation.

“The regional dentist came to me and said the kids in Coen have perfect teeth because of the fluoride levels from the Lankelly Creek (where the nearby community sources its water),” Mr Scott said.

“That (creek) has a higher amount of fluoride than we put into the water at our treatment plant in Cooktown and the kids have really good teeth there.

“You look at communities like Aurukun, Lockhart River, Wujal Wujal and it’s much better in Coen.”

A decision was made following extensive consultation with the community and health experts, Mr Scott said.

“There was a really good debate in the town hall at the time and in the end the science won over,” he said.

Health organisations around the world support fluoridating major water supplies.

Experts from Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service’s (TCHHS) recently briefed councillors with information on the important public health measure.

“Fluoride in drinking water supplies has proven to be a safe and efficient way to reduce tooth

decay for the whole population,” TCHHS acting executive director of medical services Dr Ineke Wever said.

“Fluoride strengthens the enamel on teeth at all ages of life, thereby preventing decay and

reducing oral health illness.

“As shown in the previous Queensland Child Oral Health Survey 2010-12, communities that do not have fluoride in the water supply experience a much higher rate of tooth decay and interventional oral surgery.

“TCHHS works closely with Cook Shire Council on any public health issue that impacts the

community and has previously provided Cook Shire councillors with evidence-based

information regarding the benefits of keeping fluoride in the water supply.”

But Mr Scott said health decisions shouldn’t be made by local councils and called on the Premier David Crisafulli to change the laws.

“I’m a little peeved at the state government,” he said.

“Public health is a state government responsibility. If things go amuck and we see other councils pull out it’s on the state if that happens.”

More than 150 major health organisations world-wide including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Australian Medical Association (AMA), and the Australian Dental Association (ADA) support water fluoridation.

The Cairns Post and its sister publications across Queensland have launched the State of Decay series to highlight the significant dental health problems in regions without fluoride.

Originally published as ‘Peeved’: Former Cook Shire mayor joins call for state mandated fluoridated water supplies