Melissa Hargraves
The campaign to stop the fluoridation of Lismore’s water supply continues despite local and state authorities pushing ahead with it.
A Lismore local who has vowed to leave the shire because of the recent controversial decision by Lismore City councillors to go ahead with the fluoridation plan, is keen to educate the public about the pros and cons of the issue.
Peter Lehner, spokesman for the recently-formed Fluoride Awareness Lismore (FAL), said a film and information night this Friday at the Lismore Workers Club would explore safe and legal options for the community to oppose water fluoridation.
Mr Lehner, who has put a lot of time and heart into Lismore through his community choirs, told Echonetdaily that FAL had five core objectives.
‘We want to raise public awareness about the pros and cons of fluoridation, stop water fluoridation in Lismore, guard our right of choice, protect the health of land and water as well as our bodies and actively support the dental health of disadvantaged children in our area,’ he said.
Mr Lehner said the group’s information is coming from an international perspective.
‘Our information is not from government funded science and does not rely on Australian-only research, where it seems the council is relying on the directive on NSW Health.
‘Most of Europe has stopped fluoridation, with Canada and USA following that movement.’
Mr Lehner said the film and information evening would offer two safe and legal processes for locals to object to their water being fluoridated.
‘We will be showing ratepayers a legal process where they can protest paying water rates for an inferior product at a higher price,’ he said.
According to Mr Lehner, the strategy was successful on the Gold Coast where ratepayers were able to change council’s decision to privatise their water source.
‘Another safe way for people to oppose water fluoridation is the people’s mandate called “My Will”, this is very different to a petition, we have handed in large petitions before which were not recognised by council,’ he said.
He said the ‘My Will’ process was a more thorough and accurate measure of the community position on the issue.
Push polling
At last year’s Lismore City Council fluoride workshop, Merilyn Haines said the surveys (from 2005 to 2008) claiming popular support by NSW Health for the support of fluoridation should have been named ‘push polls’.
Ms Haines said the surveys only had small numbers in each area.
‘For example, in 2005 NSW Health surveyed 14 people in the Lismore LGA, 17 in 2006 and 19 in both 2007 and 2008,’ she said.
Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell recently told Echonetdaily that most people she came into contact with supported water fluoridation.
But Mr Lehner said he found the complete opposite in that around 98 per cent of the people he came into contact with opposed water fluoridation.
‘Since LCC made the decision to fluoridate, mayor Dowell has been bombarded by people who don’t want water fluoridation, so that is hardly a minority group in the community,’ he said.
‘The majority of people posting comments were against it.
‘Yes I probably do hang out with a different crowd than mayor Dowell, but I am in contact with a lot of people through my work and social interactions whom the majority oppose fluoridating our water.’
Mr Lehner helped organise a Lismore gathering for International Human Rights Day last year.
‘Our human rights were taken away on Human Rights Day by six councillors which I think is really hurtful,’ he said.
‘I am hopeful though that people are waking up, especially to the corruption within our government, which we are finding out about more and more.
‘Even though I will be leaving, I cannot walk away from this issue as I care about this community and the environment.’
He said he hoped many locals would take the time to learn about the issue in depth as ‘there are so many better and more intelligent ways to help the dental health of our children without poisoning us and our land’.
Mr Lehner said non-violent direct action to slow down or stop the building of the water dosing plants has been planned.
‘They are building the plant in Corndale and the people there don’t want it either, they don’t want their wildlife poisoned, it seeps out into the environment, so we know there will be people from Corndale, Dorroughby and Rosebank for example who are involved with their environment and will reject this poisoning,’ he said.
‘Firewater: Australia’s Industrial Fluoridation Disgrace’ will be shown at the Lismore Workers Club on Friday 17 January, at 5.30pm for a 6pm start as part of the film and information night.
I entirely support Peter Lehner’s stand against adding fluoide to Lismores water supply.
I have the greatest respect for Mayor Jenny Dowell, but on this issue I disagree with her.
The extremely small sample of citizens quetioned about fluoridating the water supply is entirely inadequate.
A referendum would be settle the matter.
If those who are against placing fluoride ions in our water in Lismore had evidence from Australian authorities who have had Fluoride ions in their water for over 50 years thay may have some evidence that Australians should listen to.
My Children were brought up in fluroide ion areas and they have no fillings and almost perfect teeth as do their friends. The evidence is clearly against those who use questionable advice from unknown overseas sources. Our grand children have had braces on their teeth which are also without fillings to give them perfect teeth and perfect smiles. One of these grand children was DUX of his high school and both are doing medical related degrees at Uni. Was that caused by Fluoride too? Who knows?
I agree people have the right to object but they do not have the right to force their minority views on a community with questionable overseas advice and ignore the evidence that is available in Australia.
Time for our community to stand strong once again against poor decisions being made on our behalf,
we will not tolerate being force fed toxic waste for the financial benefit of a few. When we lose the right to choose we loose so much, we are stronger than that. It is time to send our council a very clear message that they are here to serve the community not themselves and the whims of the corporations a poison under any name is still a poison.
I can see the antidiluvians who oppose good dental care bussing in their toothless support troops from Nimbin over this one.
Fluoridation is an absolute Fraud and Failure.
Australia is in dental crisis after decades of water fluoridation/pollution first commencing in Beaconsfield Tasmania in 1953 & USA in dental crisis after first commencing in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1945)- headlines such as DENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN DECAY – Dr Deborah Cole is chief executive officer of Dental Health Services Victoria/ REPORT WARNS $10B NEEDED TO FIX DENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM February 28, 2012 and many more.
It is Australia’s disgrace that the Governments and their interests continue to push this Fraud of this hazardous waste and co-contaminants known as ‘water fluoridation‘ and continue with the chronic poisoning of the population, pets and environment with these hazardous waste pollutants hexafluorosilicic acid/silicofuorides and co-contaminants of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, thallium, beryllium etc., known as ‘water fluoridation’.
Many ask why are Dentists, Doctors and their interests (not to mention Corporate sponsored etc., Dental Schools at Universities !) continue fighting to the death to force to keep and/or add these dangerously corrosive hazardous waste pollutants in our water supplies ( & hence food chain) if it is supposed to be so effective and reduce dental decay by anywhere between 30 & 60% thus reduce their income – what shocking propaganda !
These hazardous waste pollutants fluorosilicic acid, hexafluorosilicate being used in many industries such as glass etching, wood preservative, sterilization, electroplating, acidizing, rust removal in textile field, lead refining, tanneries, fluorosilicate salt, in veterinary fields to combat insect infestation.
How anyone could be so gullible, complacent or dare I say uncaring that you ignore this and continue to put the population’s health in Harm’s Way, is a shocking and willfully reckless and negligent decision.
We must all take action for the health and safety of our population and that is to call an immediate and irrevocable ban Queensland and Australia wide on every Fluoridation/pollution plant.
The study also found that fluoride does not eliminate tooth decay, citing dietary sugars as the primary cause. People living in areas with fluoridated water and/or using fluoride toothpaste still got dental caries. http://www.irishdentist.ie/news/news_detail.php?id=5436
Not Safe & not effective: http://fluorideinformationaustralia.wordpress.com/not-safe-not-effective/
Can Dentists & Doctors be trusted when they say Water Fluoridation is Safe & Effective?
http://fluorideinformationaustralia.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/can-dentists-doctors-be-trusted-when-they-say-water-fluoridation-is-safe-effective.pdf
Revealing How Dentists Profit By Abusing Children – In ‘Drilling for Dollars,’ a local TV reporter presented shocking visual and audio testimony about a situation in which children were being needlessly treated and harmed because of corporate greed. 2009 http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/100963/Revealing-How-Dentists-Profit-By-Abusing-Children.aspx
REPORT: Brief Overview of Water Fluoridation/Pollution – 11 September, 2013 Diane Drayton Buckland
http://fluorideinformationaustralia.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/brief-overview-of-water-fluoridation_pollution-11-september-2013-diane-drayton-buckland1.pdf
REPORT: 100% fluoridated Kentucky, USA – Rampant Dental Decay & chronic disease epidemic – DDB http://fluorideinformationaustralia.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/rampant-dental-decay-chronic-disease-epidemic-in-100-fluoridated-kentucky-usa-13-aug-2013-ddb.pdf
Australian governments, like the big brother US, often have the habit of adopting simplistic, cheap & dirty solutions rather than going proper homework, learning from other countries and implementing solutions that work in the long run.
The cane toad is a prime example of how a quick fix can end up being a future disaster. With all respect for Jenn Dowells other work, she should not let her emotions get in the way of being a representative of her electorate.
Fluoride demonstrates the greatest divide between those who are awake and those ‘loyal subjects’ who never question ‘authority’.
Please read a research paper filed for the Byron Council on this issue at: http://fluoridefacts.weebly.com/
The argument for fluoride for tooth decay is a total straw-man. Fluoride makes people willing instruments of control by others. Those who have been drinking this kool-aid never question authority, nor do they look into the real facts surrounding what comprises tooth decay. If you look more deeply, you will likely find these same kids raised on fluoride water were also strictly disciplined by their parents to brush their teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste, so how do they know if it was the water? Actually, anything to kill the caries bacteria, including many other non-toxic topical antiseptics would have also done the job. Fluoride just happens to be a sledgehammer approach in this regard and thus suppress the immune system with each ‘dosing’.
I have a perfect set of teeth, and I do not (nor will ever) use fluoride in either toothpaste or water or black tea or otherwise. I like having my third eye open and clear of ‘brain sand’. Obviously, the proponents of fluoride like the sand man, that’s why they are asleep. If you think there is any coincidence between ‘Mr. Sandman” putting you in reality disconnected dreamland and fluoride inoculated sheeple, then you are likely one.
PS – To those who are so jingoistically ‘Aussie’ as to think everything else in the world is ‘questionable overseas advice’ had best get a clue. Australia is a scientific backwater and decades behind other advanced nations. Read the list of nations on http://fluoridefacts.weebly.com/ that have reversed fluoridation of their citizens in light of the new science.
What a disgrace that a council will not look at the number of areas worldwide that are withdrawing from this harmful archaic practice of adding toxic waste to a community water supply … no to water fluoridation – notice the ‘health’ department never like to mention the addition of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury that comes with water fluoridation … wonderful how this is always kept in the background and, when challenged, the ‘health’ department states that the amounts are minimal. Well please tell me an optimum amount of lead/arsenic/cadmium and mercury for our bodies? … all are known or probable carcinogens … exactly how much should we be having of these toxins daily, added to our drinking water/showers/vegetables/meat?
It’s great that Peter Lehner is giving direction for those who have informed themselves of the LATEST research and the way other countries are going – against fluoridation.
But why is fluoridation still being pushed now that the Abbott Govt recently announced free child dental care under Medicare?
Carmel Liertz (health-oriented performance coach and author)
Regardless of ones view I’d suggest those obsessed with this-or any other issue-to keep their language tempered rather than spout hysterical hyperbole. Screeching nonsense like “fraud” and “hazardous waste” and accusing a Government of corruption because they can’t get their way is par for the course for these angry nut jobs. Like the Anti-Vaccination Network whose paranoid conspiracy theories provide at least light entertainment, this bandwagon do their cause no good by spouting crap. Do they not use toothpaste? If they do they are putting fluoride right into mouths. If they don’t, could they just stand back a few more metres…because something smells bad.
Our environment is being poisoned daily in increasing quantities by herbicides,pesticides, fungicides,heavy metals from mining, industry, wonder drugs and radioactive materials do we need any more?
The pro-fluoride lobby is just another non sense, another empty humancentric artificial debate we don’t need.
I am totally opposed to any project that increases rather than decreases the level of pollution humans create.
It doesn’t matter if fluoride works or not. The Govt does not have the right to treat us by adding a so called ‘nutrient’ to our water supply for a perceived health benefit. Why not add it to milk or salt giving people a choice. Why not run an education program aimed at parents on how to look after their children’s teeth, the best place to start building a child’s health is before conception. Why can’t dentists educate the ‘parents that have children with poor teeth? Only 1-2% of the water supply is used for drinking why fluoridate the entire supply? The type of fluoride used is an S6 poison a by-product from fertilizer or aluminium industry. Going by Australian statistics in Queensland over 50% of children don’t have cavities so why should those children have to consume fluoridated drinking water. My children grew up in Queensland with no fluoride in the water & no fluoride toothpaste. They ate a lot of yogurt, cultured butter, cheese, greens and there was no sugar in the house only honey and that was a treat not an hourly occurrence. I brushed their teeth til they were 9 yrs old. Never did a dentist ask me what I did I could never understand why they weren’t interested. There is a much better way to deal with cavities and it is about the total health of the child not just their teeth.
I forgot to add …both of my children at 30 years old had no cavities.