Decision of Hamilton City Council Yesterday to Re-Instate Water Fluoridation

This is an about-face from the councillors, most of whom voted 7-1 to reject fluoridation last year after listening to the scientific evidence in a four day tribunal. The council may rationalize their decision by saying it was the will of the people, but the September referendum only represented a fraction of citizens and the result was heavily swayed by an expensive DHB propaganda campaign. Perhaps linking the fluoride referendum to the council elections forced councillors to compromise their position. They know that fluoridating the water is harmful to their constituents, but as politicians they need to abide by the referendum, as unrepresentative as it was, to keep the voters happy. Perhaps it was this dissonance which led Mayor Hardacre to push the wrong voting button.

Would it not have made more sense if, after the tribunal the council had explained to people the reasons they voted against fluoridation, rather than giving free reign to the DHB to sway public opinion with their misinformation?

Complaints about how much future legal battles will cost the ratepayer do not get my sympathy. The path of least resistance is always to go with the facts.

Ends

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