Fluoride battle continues

Image by José Manuel Suárez via CC

A Cambridge lobby group has started a battle to stop the town’s water supply bring fluoridated.

Ashley Bloomfield

The outgoing director general of health Ashley Bloomfield instructed the Waipā District Council to add fluoride to Cambridge supplies – but not elsewhere in Waipā – as a parting gesture when he retired in 2022.

But the High Court has since ruled required aspects of the decision making process were not followed.

It has yet to make a final ruling on the matter. Proponents say it is procedural, opponents are hoping it is a death knell.

A Fluoride Free Cambridge coordinator, Sam Hore, says a petition it is backing has drawn hundreds of signatures.

He says the petition argues residents do not want fluoride added to their drinking water, the Waipā District Council’s duty is to the communities it serves, not central Government policy, and calls for infrastructure work be put on hold.

The group intends to present the petition to the Cambridge Community Board early in 2024.

The fledgling group’s Facebook page had 57 followers when The News checked on Monday.

 

 

More Recent News

The friendly five

19 September, 10am *The print version of this story incorrectly placed Crystal Beavis in the Jacqui Church camp. 18 September 8am It’s highly competitive – but it’s also very cordial. Five candidates – including the…

Scouts make waves

The winter cobwebs have been well and truly blown away. Scout cutters, kayaks and sunbursts took to Lake Rotoroa for the first official boating event of the organisation’s 2025/26 season with the 49th Alistair Kerr…

Money still unpaid

The resource consent application for a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu remains suspended, a month after the applicant told The News its outstanding bill would be settled. The Environmental Protection Authority suspended processing…

Marae – like village halls

Tamahere residents have been given a different take on why they should support the retention of Waikato District Council’s Māori wards. Ngāruawāhia based Tilly Turner will be returned unopposed to the council’s Tai Runga Māori…