Fluoridation of Gympie’s water is set to end after the decision passed at the Gympie Regional Council Meeting on Wednesday 24 September.
CEO Robert Jennings opened the motion and asked councillors to confirm their previous decision in the 2024 September meeting.
When questions were opened, the first question came from Councillor Dolly Jensen who asked, “Did we consult with the community?”
“Don’t we usually consult with the community before we make a decision?”
Mr Jennings said that due to costs and considering previous discussion that council was not proceeding with community consultation.
Mayor Glen Hartwig added that during the previous workshops, the costs and how they would facilitate that were spoken about which lead to deciding not to undertake it.
“I didn’t think that we were never going to consult the people,” said Councillor Jensen.
“If I want to rename a park, we have to do community consultation and this is way more important than that.”
According to Mr Jennings, the cost of the consultation was in the range of of $30k, which was furthered by Director of Infrastructure Graham O’Byrne who said they had options from $200-300k to $30k or the option to undertake it themselves.
During this discussion, Councillor Mick Curran spoke, essentially saying that even if consultation was undertaken it wouldn’t have changed the opinions of councillors.
“There’s going to be votes presented today, regardless of what consultation is done,” he said.
Councillor Milne said that it had appeared that council had not been upholding their values through their democratic process and moved to have this matter lay on the table and undergo community consultation.
Dolly Jensen seconded her motion, “If we can blow the dough when we want to change the name of a park then we need to blow the dough on consulting with the people it affects.”
Gordon Maudsley spoke against the motion and considered the money spent on fluoride asking, “Is that the best way to spend that money for public health?”
The motion was unsuccessful with only Milne, Polley and Jensen voting for it.
When the final motion to cancel fluoridation was brought forward, Milne declared a conflict of interest, saying that without community consultation she would be making the decision and pushing her own personal beliefs and asked to leave the room.
According to the Local Government Act 2009 – Sect 150EN, A councillor has a declarable conflict of interest if because of the conflict, the councillor’s participation in a decision about the matter might lead to a decision that is contrary to the public interest.
Councillor Milne argued that since there has been no consultation, her decision would be founded on her personal beliefs and therefore not be in the interest of the public.
Councillor Milne after discussion was permitted to leave the room.
The final motion to move fluoride was then seen to.
Councillor Lahn was first to move and Councillor McEwan seconded.
She claimed her vote was in er of caution and did not believe in mass medication.
Councillor Jensen spoke against.
“I can hear the banjoes playing,” she said.
“We are just putting ourselves back into the hell town era.”
Councillor Warne, Lahn, McEwan and Maudsley alongside Mayor Hartwig voted for while Jensen, Curran and Polley voted against.
The decision to cancel fluoridation in Gympie passed.
