Fluoridation of Geelong’s water supply has gone off State Government’s agenda, according to Member for Geelong Province Elaine Carbines .

Ms Carbines said the region’s six Labor MPs had told Health Minister Bronwyn Pike that Geelong residents did not want fluoride in their water supply “at this time”.

“We were very clear to the minister that our community was not ready to have a conversation about fluoridation or were seeking that conversation,” she said.

“I’ve never had anyone who has raised this issue with me who is in favour of fluoridation but there are plenty of people who have contacted me who are opposed to it.”

Former Health Minister John Thwaites fired the fluoride debate in Geelong last year when he said State Government could add the controversial chemical to the region’s water supply.

Meanwhile, Barwon Association for Freedom from Fluoride president Keith Oakley has continued his group’s anti-fluoride campaign with the release of documents detailing the substance’s chemical analysis and safety issues. A Geelong resident obtained the documents from Melbourne Water under Freedom of Information laws.

Mr Oakley said the information revealed fluoride used for water consumption in Melbourne could contain traces of cadmium, arsenic and heavy metals including lead.

He said health hazard information had found that the substance, added to Melbourne’s water supply, was either fluosilicic acid or sodium silicofluoride. Both were considered harmful and if swallowed could cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, burning sensation and diarrhoea, Mr Oakley said.

The report also warned that prolonged or repeated exposure could cause bone problems.

” Members of BAAF do not believe that toxic industrial waste products should ever be added to our water supply,” Mr Oakley said.

A delegation from the group was seeking a meeting with Ms Pike to urge the Government to repeal legislation allowing compulsory fluoridation, he said.

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