Tauranga City Council has agreed to seek an independent public inquiry into fluoridation of public water supplies. Photo / Laura Smith
Tauranga City Council has agreed to seek an independent public inquiry into fluoridation of public water supplies. Photo / Laura Smith
Tauranga City Council is calling for an independent public inquiry into water fluoridation following a petition.
It stopped short, however, of trying again to have its own directive to fluoridate the city’s water supply halted.
Tauranga’s water has been fluoridated since October 2024 to comply with former director-general of healthDr Ashley Bloomfield’s directive issued in 2022.
Bloomfield said at the time he had considered the scientific evidence and was “satisfied that community water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure that significantly reduces the prevalence and severity of dental decay”.
It requested the council ask the Ministry of Health for an independent public inquiry into fluoridation and write to the director-general asking for the fluoridation directive to be suspended.
His petition had 1345 signatures as of October 22.
Fluoride Free Tauranga advocate Robert Coe asked Tauranga City Council to not fluoridate Tauranga's water at a council meeting in August 2024. Photo / Alisha Evans
At a council meeting on Tuesday, Coe said a new director general of health, Audrey Sonerson, had assumed the role.
He said Sonerson was “not a doctor or a dentist” but “hopefully she’s a better listener than her predecessor”.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about that.”
He said two new scientific papers had been released this year, which he believed contained research relevant to his cause.
Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular - who chaired the meeting as Mayor Mahe Drysdale was absent - said she did not think there was any harm in sending the letter but did not support a public inquiry due to the cost to taxpayers.
She estimated that could be “$300,000 probably … if not more”.
“We’re trying to do value for money. Do we really think that … is a good taxpayer expense if we’re trying to be affordable?”
Scoular said she wanted Sonerson to confirm the directive should not be reversed because of new research released in the past year.
Councillor Rod Taylor said a “large number of the petitioners” were not from Tauranga and some were from overseas.
“The validity of the numbers gives me cause for concern.
“Even so, there’s still a significant portion of the population here that thinks this is a good idea.”
Taylor said he had spoken with Coe.
“There’s obviously new studies all the time all round the world, but he hasn’t given me solace that something significant has changed that will affect the Government’s stance on this.”
Taylor said he did not support the council to “go again on this”.
“It’s only 12 months since we did it last time and we got a negative reply last time.”
Councillor Marten Rozeboom pictured at a council meeting in May. Photo / David Hall
Councillor Marten Rozeboom supported sending the letter.
In his opinion, there was sufficient fluoride “already available through tablets and in toothpaste” and he was concerned having it in water could be excessive for children.
Councillor Rick Curach said he supported fluoridating water “if added at safe levels and creates no harm”.
“I do actually support another letter being sent just to prove the case that it is safe.”
Councillor Steve Morris backed the call for an inquiry because “sufficient evidence needs to be considered publicly”.
The council voted to ask the Ministry of Health and director-general of health for an independent public inquiry, but voted against seeking a suspension of the fluoride directive for Tauranga.
The council has provided access to non-fluoridated bore water in Pāpāmoa for those who want it.
Two additional non-fluoridated water sources were under construction at Tauranga’s Wharepai Domain and Welcome Bay’s Waipuna Park.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
