By ALENA HIGGINS
FLUORIDE will no longer be added to the region’s water supplies, after Southern Downs Regional Council dumped the controversial practice last week.
Rapturous applause erupted from the public gallery when Councillor Vic Pennisi went against a recommendation to declare council’s water fluoridation survey invalid and proposed a motion to remove the additive instead.
Minutes earlier, tensions boiled over at the meeting in Stanthorpe as more than 25 passionate anti-fluoride campaigners tried to squeeze into the small public gallery to hear council discuss the results of the questionnaire.
In an extraordinary step, Cr Jo McNally labeled council’s decision to set the parameter of the non-compulsory survey at 50 per cent returns as a “mistake”.
“I think as councillors we need to stand up and say we made a mistake,” she said.
“We voted for this and I think we need to take responsibility and not pass the buck to officers for our errors on the day.”
Cr Cameron Gow agreed, saying the results – which were two thirds in favor of discontinuing fluoride – were clear.
Mayor Peter Blundell, however, was critical of the move.
“My concern is if it was council’s intention to remove fluoride we should have done it without wasting $10,000 and officers’ time,” he said.
Cr Jamie Mackenzie disagreed, insisting council needed to undertake public consultation.
Sue Johnson, who drew up the petition behind the anti-fluoride campaign, said the result was “very gratifying”.
She agreed with councillors that implementing health measures was the responsibility of the State Government, suggesting local government should go back to the basics of “rates, roads and rubbish”.
Ms Johnson’s husband, Bob, who heads up the local residents’ association, said the statistical evidence was impossible to ignore.
He predicted a “violent reaction, certainly in Stanthorpe” if council had not listened to the community’s wishes. Meanwhile, a number of Free Times readers have written in applauding council for its decision.
“That is a wonderful achievement of this council and will be remembered,” Don Fern of Warwick wrote.
Councillors agreed to write to the Minister for Health suggesting that alternate options for fluoridation, including the availability of fluoride tablets, be investigated.
