MACKAY will have fluoride added to its drinking water late next year.

Just as she did with daylight saving, Premier Anna Bligh has dug in her heels over the contentious fluoridation issue.

While the Premier acknowledged at yesterday’s Community Cabinet meeting in Mackay that some people were against fluoridation, she said she was satisfied it was the right thing to do.

“I want Queensland children to have better teeth,” she said.

“They currently have the worst teeth in Australia it’s not good enough.

“We’ve got to fix it. Fluoride is on its way to North Queensland.”

Two companies, Cardno and Beca, have been appointed to manage the fluoridation of water across regional Queensland from 2009 to 2012.

The first fluoridation unit in North Queensland will be installed at Mackay’s Nebo Road Water Treatment Plant late next year.

Other local government regions, including Whitsunday and Isaac, will progressively have their water supplies fluoridated.

“The introduction of fluoride into our drinking water has proven to be overwhelmingly popular with parents, with the broader community and particularly with medical professions and dentists,” Ms Bligh said.

“It is, however, something that some people feel a little wary of.

“I know that fluoride is not something that everyone agrees with.”

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Col Meng said he was not convinced of the benefits of fluoridation.

“There is a bit of an objection but I guess it’s like everything it will be decided and done and there’s nothing we can do about it,” he said.

Ailsa Boyden, who was in the audience yesterday, told Ms Bligh people should be able to decide for themselves if they wanted to drink fluoridated water.

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