ADDING fluoride to the water supply is back on Oberon Council’s agenda.

It comes after council received a letter from Health Minister Brad Hazzard about the oral health benefits of fluoride in the water supply.

Adding to that, correspondence has been received from Oberon Health Council seeking council to reconsider its current position in relation to fluoridation and for Oberon Council to review the standing resolution that the Oberon water supply not be fluoridated.

Council resolved not to support the addition of fluoride in the Oberon water supply in May 2014 after substantial community consultation and public meetings held in 2013.

The topic generated plenty of correspondence at the time as the two sides of the argument presented their cases.

At Oberon Council’s ordinary meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, Veronika Cvitanovic from the Oberon Residents Against Fluoridation (ORAF) group presented a petition to council with 672 signatures and said the overall consensus was that it was a waste of money and most of the water would go down the drain.

Anti-fluoride campaigners turned out at that meeting to reinforce their position.

Councillors were given the opportunity to address the meeting and explain the reason for their decision.

At the time, three councillors voted for fluoridation and five councillors voted against adding fluoride to Oberon’s water supply.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting, a recommendation was carried to accept Minister Hazzard’s offer for a face-to-face briefing for council and senior staff led by suitably qualified people from NSW Health before council makes any determination on the matter.

Further to that, the recommendation said qualified people opposing the fluoridation of Oberon’s water supply should be included in the briefing.

Cr Ian Doney said the last time council went through this “it was a rip-roaring debate”.

*Original article online at https://www.oberonreview.com.au/story/5132519/its-back-fluoride-has-returned-to-the-council-agenda/