Whakatāne District residents will have an opportunity to express their views on the fluoridation of water supplies in a non-binding referendum to be held in conjunction with this year’s local government elections in October.
The details of the referendum were finalised at yesterday’s Monitoring and Policy Committee meeting, with councillors confirming the question to be asked in the referendum, and agreeing on what supporting information should be made available to inform referendum participants.
Monitoring and Policy Committee Chair, Mayor Tony Bonne says water fluoridation is a contentious issue and the Council is aware of the need to remain objective throughout the referendum process. “Care has been taken to ensure the question is easy to understand and does not imply a preferred outcome,” he says. “We have also decided to support the process with resources, which will include a summary of information for and against fluoridation.”
Mayor Bonne says information will be presented through various channels, including the Council’s website, social media and community newsletter, Ko Konei, in the lead-up to elections. “We have also resolved to include a summary of the arguments for and against fluoridation alongside the voting papers, to ensure our community has access to information that will enable them to make an informed decision.”
“The Committee also addressed the interest shown by advocacy groups on both sides of the debate to put their case forward in a public forum,” Mr Bonne says. “As the referendum is non-binding, there is an opportunity outside of this process to hear advocacy groups’ views before making a final decision.”
Representatives will be invited to speak in the public forum section of the Council meeting where a decision on whether to continue, expand or cease fluoridation will be made. The advocacy groups’ views will be considered alongside other information, such as the outcomes of the referendum and the Council’s Annual Residents Survey.
In March last year, the Council resolved to carry out the referendum to re-examine the public’s views on the addition of fluoride (hydrofluorosililic acid) in public drinking water supplies. Currently, only the Whakatāne and Ōhope supplies are fluoridated. Referenda on the issue were held alongside the triennial elections for the Whakatāne and Ōhope wards in 1995 and again in 2001. In both cases there was a majority in favour of fluoridation (54 percent in 1995 and 63 percent in 2001).
Councillors have opted to include all residents in the District in this year’s referendum, irrespective of whether they are connected to a Council water supply, or a fluoridated supply system, recognising that those not connected at home are likely to consume Council-supplied water in other places, such as at work and school. This also recognised that, in many cases, ward boundaries do not match well with water supply boundaries.