Dear Supporter,
Below we have published an urgent request from our colleague Mary Byrne of FAN NZ. Over the years I have met with Mary several times in New Zealand. She has organized my last two fluoridation tours there. She is one of the best organizers I have worked with in this battle and she and her husband Sean are a delight to work with. Please help with her request in any way you can.
-Paul Connett
New Zealand’s fluoridation status hangs in the balance and we need your help. As the pro-fluoridation lobby realizes this is their last chance to hold on to fluoridation, they are throwing everything they can at us. We are being swamped by a pro-fluoridation media, District Health Boards with access to taxpayer money, a well-funded dental association and even a new government website with video clips from the Children’s Commissioner and the Chief Science Advisor.
The team at Fluoride Action Network New Zealand has been using flyers, billboards, videos, public meetings and now we have created an advertisement that we need help to get onto TV Ondemand. This advert will run when someone goes to watch a TV program on the internet. We also need to help to pay for our wonderful billboards.
Background
As many of you will know we have been making really good progress ending fluoridation in New Zealand over the past few years. This year, the council of our fourth largest city, Hamilton, decided to stop, bringing the total number of people on fluoridated water down to 48%. Of course there is actually less than that since many people source unfluoridated water.
However, the council was then pressured and has now decided to hold a referendum on fluoridation. This means we now have three referenda happening this year in conjunction with the local body elections: Hamilton, Hastings and Whakatane. Postal voting starts on the 20th of September and ends on the 12th of October.
Current State
There are only 67 local councils in New Zealand and at the moment only 22 of them have any fluoridation. If we win the three referenda there will only be 20, or if we lose we will go back up to 23. If we win, fluoridation will not be able to last much longer in New Zealand.
Your help would be really appreciated
We therefore are asking if you would please help us. We are guaranteed 1000 views of this 30 second advertisement on TV Ondemand, targeted to the places having referenda, for only NZ$200. That is just US$156. The advertisement will run at the beginning of a TV program someone has chosen to view online. They cannot click through the ad. If you would consider paying for one set of 1000 that would be incredibly helpful in educating voters.
Otherwise, any amount, no matter how small will help. Details for making donations are here: http://www.fannz.org.nz/support_fannz.php
You may also use any of the videos of New Zealanders Against Fluoridation for your own campaign. Please also like our Fluoride Free NZ facebook and all the other New Zealand facebook pages and groups.
If we stop fluoridation in New Zealand it will help everyone around the world the way the stopping of fluoridation in Australian, Canadian and US towns, the recent law change in Israel and the exciting campaign in Ireland is helping us.
Kind regards,
Mary Byrne
National coordinator Fluoride Action Network NZ
www.fannz.org.nz
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