Whangarei District Council Rejects Fluoridation Directive

In a tense meeting today, Whangarei councillors voted seven to six (with one abstainer) to reject the Director-General of Health’s (DGH) directive to start fluoridation. Fluoride Free New Zealand congratulates the councillors for protecting their community from the undeniable harm caused by fluoridation.

Last week the Surgeon General of Florida (population 22 million) advised all communities in Florida to stop fluoridation. He stated unequivocally that “fluoridation is public health malpractice” and he said that putting a neurotoxin in the drinking water was not an answer to dental health.

Whangarei District Council is one of 14 councils that was directed by the former DGH, Ashley Bloomfield, to start fluoridation or face severe penalties of up to $200,000 plus $10,000 a day every day thereafter if they do not comply. However, the seven councillors that voted against it chose that no amount of blackmail could make them deliberately add a poison to the drinking water that they knew full well would most likely harm many people in their community.

Cr Gavin Benney, in particular, is to be congratulated, for bringing the motion to the council with the backing of Mayor Cocurullo. His notice of motion simply states that “the Whangarei District Council resolves NOT to fluoridate the district’s water supply as required by the directive from the Ministry of Health”.

Cr Benney’s action should serve as a shining example of what people need from their local representatives. Someone who will do the indepth research that an issue like this requires, and has the integrity and fortitude to bring the issue to table.

Fluoride Free New Zealand expects that this decision will embolden other councils to also reject the unscientific and immoral directive being imposed on them by the DGH. The issue will be discussed at the next Nelson City Council meeting on the 5th December. The Horowhenua District Council requested staff bring a report to them at their next meeting, on the 11th December, as to what their options are including seeking an Interim Injunction if the DGH were to seek enforcement.

The councillors that voted to reject the directive were Cr Benney, Mayor Cocurullo, Deputy Mayor Halse, Cr Golightly, Cr Ruka, Cr Olsen and Cr Reid.

It remains to be seen what action, if any, the Ministry of Health will take. If the Ministry do take action it will only serve to alert more people to the issue of fluoridation and the more that people know about fluoridation the more likely they are to oppose it.