PRO-FLUORIDE activists have criticised the council’s upcoming meeting, saying anti-fluoride campaigner Terry Farrell has been involved in planning it.

An administrator of the Bundaberg – Say no to fluoride Facebook page has posted a comment saying they were “no longer involved in the organising of the Mayor’s fluoride forum”.

“Although we support the event 100% it is best if we are not directly involved, to prevent any allegations that we may have an unfair influence on the Bundaberg Regional councillors, affecting possible outcomes of this issue,” the administrator of the Facebook page said.

The meeting is being held by the council as a fluoride forum at which people from both sides of the debate can have a say.

When the information about the organisation of the fluoride forum first emerged after the pro-fluoride information session on Friday, Bundaberg Mayor Mal Forman said Mr Farrell had not been involved in the planning of the forum and that he had planned it on his own.

“I’m organising that [the forum],” Cr Forman said. “He approached me about it and I said it’s something I already planned on.”

As of last night, no pro-fluoride speakers had agreed to come to the event, said a council spokesman, although approaches have been made.

“Not yet, no,” the mayor said on Friday when asked about confirmation of speakers from the other side of the debate.

“I’m just waiting to hear back,” said Cr Forman on Friday.

However, two anti-fluoride speakers, John Ryan and Merilyn Haines, are lined up.

Mr Farrell on Friday said he had arranged the fluoride meeting but later handed the reins over to Cr Forman.

“I was just involved in the initial stages of the setting up,” he said.

“I thought we really needed to try to have a meeting with a balanced approach.”

Print PDF