November 30, 2012

South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann is expected to recommend to the December council meeting that fluoridation be stopped at the region’s five major water schemes.

The move could save council between $150,000 and $200,000 a year.

This follows the State Government’s announcement last night that it would be restoring control of fluoride management back to local councils.

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said today amendments to legislation would permit local governments that are currently fluoridating their water supplies to cease to do so.

And in some cases, they could be able claim back capital costs.

“Local governments that have, up to now, invested in fluoridation infrastructure in good faith and that subsequently determine it is not in the best interests of a community to continue fluoridation may be able to claim eligible capital costs back from the Queensland Fluoridation Capital Assistance Program,” Mrs Frecklington said.

Mayor Kratzmann told southburnett.com.au fluoridation was a major issue but purely because of the cost factor.

“The bottom line is, if we don’t have to have it in, because of the cost, we wouldn’t,” he said.

He said it was one of the items councillors discussed with Local Government Minister David Crisafulli when Cabinet recently visited Kingaroy.

At that stage, council was seeking to rollback fluoridation from seven days a week to just weekdays to save money, however he said today’s announcement that they could stop it completely was “great news”.

“Particularly from a financial point of view and considering the recent losses in State grants and Transport Infrastructure Development grants,” Cr Kratzmann said.

He said fluoride was currently being added to water supplies in Blackbutt, Nanango, Kingaroy, Wondai and Murgon.

He would meet with Mrs Frecklington this afternoon to discuss the legislative changes.

“And I will have this on the agenda for discussion at the next South Burnett Council meeting on December 19,” Cr Kratzmann said.

“I would certainly be supporting that we cease (fluoridation) subject to getting all the information.”

Cr Kratzmann said most South Burnett residents get their drinking water from rainwater tanks, anyway.

“I think in the country we value water more than our city cousins,” he said. “Tanks are synonymous and people think drinking tap water is not that great.”

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said months of debate about the state-wide rollout of fluoride treatment had convinced the State Government to re-establish a role for local authorities in the decision-making process.

“The government is convinced by the strong advice of health authorities that endorse fluoride treatment,” Mr Springborg said.

“Eighty-seven per cent of Queenslanders have fluoride included in their local water supplies.

“However, while we continue to advocate for the inclusion of fluoride, we retain a strong philosophical commitment to local decision-making.

“Across this state, water supplies are the responsibility of local authorities and they will no longer be sidelined in this debate.”

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UPDATE December 19, 2012: The issue of fluoridation of Kingaroy’s water was not discussed at today’s council meeting.