Rotorua councillor Charles Sturt has cited fluoride fears for his decision not to seek re-election to the Lakes District Health Board (DHB).

“I do not wish to be part of a group who want to force chemicals into water, ie fluoride, which is where they are heading,” he said.

“Only Merepeka Raukawa-Tait [fellow DHB board member and councillor] and myself voted no and we were ostriches … they didn’t like the fact council makes the decision not them and now this Government is giving DHBs the right to inflict this on our fluoride free community.”

Sturt said there were other factors behind his decision, including that he felt most decision-making happens behind closed doors.

He said the DHB had done much that was good, including a Maori health report.

Lakes DHB chair Deryck Shaw said he had no comment to make on Sturt’s decision, but that the DHB was “committed to improving the oral health of the Lakes community.”

“Lakes DHB’s policy around fluoridation of public water supplies has been consistent for a number of years and is based on available evidence.”

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