Limited democracy?

I’ll not duplicate the spot-on analysis regarding Fluoridation by Trevor Cooper but will add these observations. Naturally occurring fluoride is universal but it is CALCIUM fluoride, not the poisonous Sodium Fluoride waste by-product of aluminum smelters.
In America it wasn’t uncommon for the aluminum industry to offer incentives to local politicians to induce them to adopt artificial fluoridation, even when the natural stuff was already in the water.  Hopefully that wasn’t the reason it was adopted here.
That being said, I point out that the majority of Queenslanders were opposed to the introduction of this compulsory and, largely, cost ineffective medication. In both Stanthorpe and Warwick it was well in excess of 80 per cent of the people who said NO. The Parliament said you will obey. Note I said Parliament, and not Government. Democracy is not involved in this decision, and so many others, when politicians of both major parties agree.
Democracy is government FOR the people. In extremis it should be with the approval of the people. To my knowledge only Switzerland, and occasionally, some Scandinavian countries ask for the approval of the populace for controversial legislation or actions.
Our involvement is only at, arguably, Democratic elections, where we appoint the next set of dictators.
In Australia and other British style governments, we elect on promises and policies that may, or may not, be fulfilled or have new ones, not spoken of during electioneering, to be foisted on us whether we agree or not. Most voters are too gullible to realise they are being conned and vote for a Party or, sometimes, a personality because they are in agreement with some narrow ideology professed by their Party of loyalty.
Democracy? We do not even have a say in who is to be a candidate. The NSW ALP is a supreme example, with only about 1000 active members choosing their representatives, with the opposition not much better.
Little wonder that the State’s Parliament was (is) a comfortable, exclusive membership, club. Maybe we should have a new term: “Limited Democracy”.
Tom Edgar