Far North revisits fluoride issue

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FLUORIDE should go back into far northern water supplies, according to the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Cairns MP Rob Pyne said it was a contentious issue.

“I’m happy for my family to drink fluoride in my water, unfortunately there are a lot of people in the Cairns community who don’t,” he said.

“I do not believe I have the right to say to them that I know better than them and they must drink it because it’s good for them.

“So I’m sure it’ll be a serious discussion in the party room.”

Treasurer Curtis Pitt said he was siding with science despite concerns in some sectors of the community.

“Labor believes that governments should be listening to the best available scientific and medical advice and act accordingly,” he said.

“It has been used around the world for more than 50 years and in that time there does not seem to be a skerrick of scientifically credible evidence showing it to be harmful.”

NHMRC boss Professor Warwick Anderson said fluoridation was essential to oral health.

“Fluoridation of drinking water remains the most effective and socially equitable means of achieving community-wide exposure to the caries prevention effects of fluoride,” he said.

“It is recommended that water be fluoridated in the target range of 0.6 to 1.1 mg/L, depending on climate, to balance reduction of dental caries and occurrence of dental fluorosis.”

Cairns Regional Council stopped fluoridating the Cairns water supply when the former Newman government left the decision with individual councils.

Mayor Bob Manning has previously described fluoridation as “mass medication” and said there was not enough scientific evidence to support its re-introduction.

Barron River MP Craig Crawford said he was open to the discussion.

“I’ve got a very open mind to it. I’ve lived in areas where there’s been fluoride and areas where there hasn’t,” he said.

Former premier Newman said he personally supported fluoridation but didn’t agree with the Bligh administration’s statewide enforcement.