FLUORIDATION of the region’s water supply is far from a sure thing, after anti-fluoride activist Al Oshlack filed a last minute appeal to a Land and Environment Court ruling made earlier this year which gave it the go-ahead.

“I have been working on this appeal with legal counsel for the past six weeks,” Mr Oshlack said.

“We want the decision set aside and to stop building the dousing plants.”

The veteran campaigner lodged the appeal on Wednesday after the Land and Environment Court rejected his legal attempt to overturn Rous’s approval for fluoride to be added to water in the Lismore and Ballina areas, including the construction of dousing plants at Clunes, Dorroughby, Corndale, Knockrow and Marom Creek.

Mr Oshlack met with the local water authority Rous Water yesterday, urging it to delay the construction of fluoride dousing plants until the appeal was settled.

Rous general manager Kyme Lavelle later told the Northern Star tenders for the plants had been put on hold in anticipation of the appeal being lodged.

Mr Oshlack is also appealing the court’s decision to award costs to Rous Water, estimated at about $300,000.

The appeal argues Justice Pepper erred in 10 points of law under section 58 of the Land and Environment Court Act and Part 51 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules.

One of those relates to her finding the legal advice provided by Rous staff to councillors was not erroneous.

Rous Water councillors will meet on Wednesday to decide whether the appeal will be contested.

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