WHILE the Mount Isa City Council is still deciding on whether to add fluoride to the city’s water supply, anti-fluoride protesters are outraged at the lack of information provided to residents.
In March this year, two fluoride advocates from Brisbane Dental Hospital director Doctor Michael Foley and Queensland Health water program director Doctor Greg Jackson addressed councillors and advised on the issue.
As yet, no-one has addressed all council members to advise of the potential negative side effects of medicating the water supply with fluoride.
Queenslanders For Safe Water, Air and Food Inc spokesperson Merilyn Haines said she is willing to come to Mount Isa to speak against fluoride, and has been given the opportunity by councils in Gympie, Moreton Bay, Charters Towers, The Whitsundays, Bowen and Proserpine.
Mrs Haines said some meetings were lengthy public discussions and some were hour-long workshops with council members.
“I was told that seven minutes was the amount of time I would have to address the Mount Isa council, and even if the Queensland Health people only got that amount too, they would have had their trips funded by the government,” she said.
Mrs Haines said she cannot justify paying for a round trip to Mount Isa for a seven minute speech and is asking for at least one hour to workshop with council members.
Mount Isa Mayor Tony McGrady responded by saying that anyone is welcome to come and speak, but believes seven minutes is all they are entitled to.
“I was told by the former CEO that everyone was allowed seven minutes and I have never stopped anybody, but there will not be any private meetings,” he said.
“These people are typical zealots and they come along and get a report and pick a paragraph from the report and they hone in.
“There will not be any private meetings but they will be given all the courtesy that I, as the Mayor can give them if they come along to the public meeting.”