General News
18 November, 2024
Dental debate
A SECOND deputation will give a presentation about fluoride at a future Cairns Regional Council (CRC) meeting.
It follows one about the benefits of fluoride provided by three GPs at the November 6 fortnightly meeting.
But a council spokesman was unable to provide a date for the next deputation nor if it was in support of, or against fluoride.
“(The) council regularly receives advice and listens to deputations from the community, however, it is important to note that (the) council’s position on fluoridating the Cairns water supply has not changed from its endorsed position in November 2016,” he said.
“Councillors recently received a deputation from doctors about fluoride and have now received a further deputation request which will be scheduled for an upcoming ordinary council meeting.”
The spokesman said the council invited Queensland’s chief health officer (CHO) Dr John Gerrard to discuss the fluoride issue.
“The meeting (on Wednesday, November 13) is not going ahead following the CHO’s cancellation. No alternative meeting or attendees will be scheduled,” he said.
“It is up to the state government and incoming chief health officer – who are best placed to make decisions on health – to address this issue on a statewide basis if they believe it’s important to do so.”
A Queensland Health spokesman said “unfortunately, due to another commitment, chief health officer Dr John Gerrard is unable to meet with Cairns Regional Council tomorrow (Wednesday, November 13) to discuss fluoride in the water supply”.
“Queensland’s chief dental officer Dr Ben Stute has offered to meet with the council in Dr Gerrard’s place,” she said.
Dr Gerrard resigned from his role last week.
The scheduled meeting with Dr Gerrard prompted mayor Amy Eden to decline an offer for further consultation on fluoride with Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) experts earlier this month.
CHHHS’ figures have revealed a 56 per cent spike in the number of children under the age of 15 who have received dental treatment under general anaesthetic in the region over the last two years.
Former premier Campbell Newman gave councils the power to opt out of mandatory fluoridation in 2012, with CRC later removing the tooth-strengthening chemical from its water supply. The equipment used to fluoridate Cairns’ water supply at Copperlode Dam was removed in 2013.
