Whangarei District Council seeks injunction against fluoridation order

Whangarei District Council seeks injunction against Director General of Health’s dictate to add toxic fluoridation chemicals to its public water supply.

Last week the Whangarei District Council reconfirmed its decision to reject the Director-General of Health’s (DG) directive to fluoridate the Whangarei water supply with toxic fluoridation chemicals sourced from industrial waste.

The council originally voted to reject the directive on the 28^th of November, however, it was brought back to council to reconsider after the DG replied that she would still be considering enforcement if the Council did not comply.

Cr Gavin Benney reviewed the suggestion from council to reverse the decision, and presented his own motion to write again to the DG asking for an extension until the outcome of the New Health New Zealand v Director-General of Health case was decided. If the DG still denies that extension, then the council write to the Governor General and if the Governor General does not grant the extension then the council will seek an interim injunction from the High Court to protect children from neurotoxic harm, now established by the preponderance of reliable scientific research. (Council’s letter to the DG).

The international research, reviewed by a US Federal Court and found to substantiate that water fluoridation poses “an unreasonable risk to human health”, has led to the Surgeon-General of Florida describing fluoridation with today’s knowledge as “public health malpractice.”

The Ministry of Health relies on poor quality research, including internationally exposed scientifically fraudulent research, to support its position of continuing to damage our children, says Fluoride Free New Zealand. This is exactly what the Ministry did regarding the science showing Lead in petrol and paint was harming children’s brains- until it was finally banned in 1996, 26 years after the rest of the world.

The motion states “The injunction would be sought on the grounds that the potential harm from fluoridation makes it unlawful for the Council to implement it pursuant to section 23 of the Health Act 1956 and that on the balance of convenience the risk of harm far outweighs any minimal possible benefit to oral health.”

It has been incorrectly reported in the media that the stay was until the DG’s Appeal is heard next year. However, this is not true as the New Health New Zealand Court case date has not yet been set. The interim injunction would also mean that no fines or penalties could be imposed while it was active.

The motion was 8 to 7 with the Mayor using his casing vote to break the tie.

A large group of supporters was in attendance which had been lobbying the councillors to oppose the directive with one councillor saying he had received over 200 emails asking him to vote to reject the directive.

Fluoride Free New Zealand congratulates the Mayor and the councillors that chose to take this stand.

Image credit: Zyanya Citlalli