Fluoride in drinking water is not the answer to tooth decay

Three health professionals will add their weight to a move to keep fluoride out of Waipa’s drinking water. Dentists Dr Lawrie Brett, Dr John Jukes and Te Awamutu doctor Janion Heywood will present to a public forum hosted by Fluoride Free NZ in Te Awamutu on Saturday. Backed by medical facts, they will discuss their […]

Second Reading of Mandatory Fluoridation Bill Delayed

Well done everyone! We have succeeded in pushing out the Second Reading of the Mandatory Fluoridation Bill to some time in the future, or maybe even never. Even more good news today, Associate Health Minister, Peter Dunne, who introduced this Bill into Parliament last year, has resigned. That means the that Bill dies, unless another […]

How low can the Health Minister sink?

The on-going performance of Jonathan Coleman as health minister is no longer a major concern but a complete disaster for the New Zealand public health system, according to Democrats for Social Credit health spokesman David Tranter. Perhaps his most serious – and tragic – dereliction of duty involves his continuing inaction regarding the horrific suffering […]

NZ’s poor drinking water compliance highlighted at inquiry

New Zealand’s compliance with drinking water standards is poor compared to the UK and European countries, and an independent regulator would assist in improving water quality, the Havelock North water inquiry heard today. The final stage of hearings into the state of New Zealand’s drinking water regime resumed yesterday and turned to considering whether creating […]

Timaru anti-fluoride campaigner Imelda Hitchcock dies

A woman who fought tirelessly to get fluoride out of Timaru’s water, and keep it out, has died. Imelda Hitchcock, described as a “force to be reckoned with”, died on Sunday, aged 90, from natural causes. Hitchcock was the driving force behind the council’s decision in July 1985 to remove fluoride from Timaru’s water supply. Photo: TETSURO MITOMO/FAIRFAX […]

Coleman and Dunne a disgrace to health portfolios

Coleman and Dunne a disgrace to health portfolios Continuing evasion of fluoridation issues by Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne are a miserable dereliction of their duty to the public, according to Democrats for Social Credit Party health spokesman David Tranter. A recent letter to Dr. Coleman raising several major concerns […]

The danger ingredient in Colgate Total: ‘Don’t use it every day’

Enthusiastic tooth brushers are being warned to stay away from Colgate Total toothpaste, or at least to use it sparingly. The toothpaste is one of the few toiletries in New Zealand that still uses triclosan, an antibacterial that was once commonly found in soaps, toothpastes and body washes. That was until September last year, when […]

Lazy health policy hard to swallow

Clean, wholesome drinking water is a fundamental human right. So is the right to decline medical intervention. For decades, city councils have struggled with the dilemma of increasing fluoride levels in their town water supplies. On one hand, the industrial chemicals used for water fluoridation are environmental contaminants. International conventions forbid dumping them into the […]

Health Minister should resign over fluoridation

The Democrats for Social Credit Party (DSC) wants Health Minister Jonathan Coleman to resign over his advocacy of poisoning drinking water supplies with risk-laden industrial waste. While one despairs of expecting MPs like Peter Dunne to understand the health risks of putting one of the most toxic substances on the planet into drinking water, there […]