Around 300 people attended a special public meeting on the dangers of fluoride being added to the Sunraysia water system held at Mildura Setts on Friday night.

Both the Mildura Mayor John Arnold and Deputy Mayor Vernon Knight were no-shows but Cr Glenn Milne, who chaired the meeting, along with Cr Mark Eckel and Cr Susan Nichols attended.

So too did Council candidates Ross Douglas, Bob Vale and Anna Smart.

Although no resolutions were passed at the meeting, signatures were gathered for a petition which will continue the fight against fluoridation of Town Urban water supplies.

Early in the meeting Cr Mark Eckel asked a question from the floor of Peter Hulin of Warrnambool who made the statement that not one Warrnambool councillor accepted the invitation to attend a similar meeting in their area recently.

Mr Hulin said in reply that it was common knowledge in Warrnambool that all councillors would be voted out at these elections so strong was the anti-fluoride movement in the city.

Cr Eckel said that he attended a recent Fluoride information night in Mildura which was conducted by the Victorian Health Department.

“It was confirmed on the night that local council will not have a say on whether fluoride would be added to local drinking water,” Cr Eckel said.

“I was told there that the Department of Health would make that decision and direct the local water authority to add it to the supply.”

Mr Hulin said that council would not have a vote on the issue to adopt fluoride in their water but what it could do is call for a referendum on the issue and take the result to Spring Street.

Cr Eckel confirmed that his personal opinion on the issue is the matter of democratic right.

He said the Health Department will direct that fluoride be put into our water whether we like it or not.

“The local community has no choice and I find that objectionable,” Cr Eckel said.

Print PDF