Otago Campaign
10th December 2011
The Otago Daily Times reported yesterday that the Manitoto Community Board had voted to introduce fluoridation into the small town of Ranfurly. They have done because of the 2007 referendum where 385 people voted for fluoridation and 323 voted against it. These votes were received from the entire Manitoto region, Ranfurly itself only has around 700 people. The ridiculousness of spending $25,000 to install the equipment and then $500 to $700 per year for operation costs when most of the population is elderly seems to escaped all Board members except Sue Umbers. Even if 20% of the Ranfurly population were under 15, that is only 140 children! Surely $25,000 plus could be far better spent even if someone did beleive in fluoridation.
Good 2011/2012 draft Annual Plan submissions and presentations were given but by all accounts it doesn’t look as if there is any real interest from enough of the councillors. Clutha only introduced fluoridation to Milton a couple of years ago after Department of Corrections subsidised their new water treatment facility. We don’t know what the conditions of the subsidy were, but do know that the fact that there is a new prison in Milton had something to do with the Dept of Corrections helping to pay for water treatment facility.
14th February 2011
Sadly the Clutha District Council has begun fluoridating Kaitangata. No warning was sent to parents not use the tap water for babies, so we can expect at least 30% of children who grow up in Kaitangata from now to show the outward sign of having been poisoned by fluoride which is the development of dental fluorosis. The only warning in this Otago Daily Times article is to advise parents to stop using fluroide tablets. It's unlikely that very many were doing this anyway.
2nd September 2010
Contact emails of candidates for 2010 elections:
Preferred Name Email
Hamish Anderson hamdor@xtra.co.nz
Bryan Cadogan
Juno Hayes juno.diane.hayes@xtra.co.nz
Barry Keith
William Begg mtwallace@xtra.co.nz
Graham Dale
Ron Davis rondavis@ihug.co.nz
Gaye Edwards curlygay@ihug.co.nz
Mike Elliot clenries@xtra.co.nz
Chris Hargest chris.hargest@xtra.co.nz
Kaylene Holland kaylene@osrpho.org.nz
Mary Johnstone mary@johnstoneelectrical.co.nz
Gaynor Finch gandgfinch@xtra.co.nz
Douglas Keen
Bruce McCorkindale llgollen@xtra.co.nz
Bruce Vollweiler kintore@xtra.co.nz
Hilary J McNab jakhils@farmside.co.nz
Kevin Thompson wkt@xtra.co.nz
17th October 2009
Questions sent to Clutha District Council in August this year, answers received on the 15th September.
See Question 3 - It is very surprising that the Department of Corrections would need to make their contributions subject to a confidential agreement. What is it they don't want people to know? FANNZ has made a request to the Office of the Ombudsmen that this information be made publicly available.
Q1. How much did last year's upgrade of the Milton Water Treatment facility cost?
Answer: New Water Treatment Plant Cost - $4.63 million
Q2. How much was paid for by any organisations other than the Clutha District Council?
Answer: 75% of the capital cost of the new Milton Water Treatment plant was paid for by another organization, the Department of Corrections.
Q3. Were there any conditions for contributions made by organisations other than the Clutha District Council?
Answer: The Department of Corrections contribution was subject to the conditions of a confidential agreement.
Q4. How much did Milton's new fluoridation equipment cost?
Answer: The Milton Water Supply is not currently fluoridated – but Council has made an informal application to the Ministry of Health for assistance to install fluoridation equipment.
Q5. Who paid for the new fluoridaiton equipment?
Answer: Not applicable.
Q6. What type of fluoride is being used in the new fluoridation equipment?
Answer: Not applicable.
Q7. How much is it costing the Clutha District Council to provide fluoride to Milton?
Answer: Not applicable – earlier this year we estimated that this will cost approximately $10,300 per annum to operate once installed.
Q.8 If any on-goings costs are being met by organisations other than the Clutha District Council, please provide the name of the organisation and how much they are contributing
Answer: Ongoing operating costs for the new water treatment plant are being fully met by charges to customers who are receiving water.
31st August 2009
According to Central Otago District Council "To date no planning has taken place, due to internal resourcing issues. Council intends applying to the SAWTAC committee for funding prior to Christmas 2009. Once funding is secured then this issue will be referred back to the community for confirmation to proceed."
It is the Sanitary Works Technical Advisory Committee (SAWTAC) this committee advises the ministry of health on who should receive sewerage subsidy. To explain, the funding for fluoridating community water supplies was included in the government sanitary works subsidy scheme.
5th October 2008
Unfortunately Clutha District Council voted to introduce fluoridation into Milton and Tapanui.
The Vincent Community Board decided NOT to introduce fluoridation to Alexandra and Earnslceugh/Manuherikia. However, the Maniototo Community Board voted to introduce fluoridation to Ranfurly as the Mayor of Central Otago, who was on that Board, felt that we have to trust our local health authorites. He obviously doesn't realise it is actually his lawful duty to fully inform himself on this subject and not just follow the leader.
22nd May 2008
Clutha District Council will hear submissions on its Draft Annual Plan which includes plans to fluoridate Milton, Kaitangata and Tapanui. Olive McRae and Bruce Spittle will be there to represent FANNZ and present our Clutha Submission.doc. Residents of these areas need to let their Councillors know that they do not want fluoridation and that they will not stand for it. Attending the submission hearings on Thursday the 22nd, writing to the Councillors, writing to the local papers and ringing the local radio stations are all very important things people can do to stop this.
14th May 2008
At the Central Otago District Council meeting held on the 14th May the Council considered the issue of fluoridation since two of the wards within this district voted (just) in favour of fluoridation. The Manager of Assets and Contracts provided the Central Otago Recommendations May 08.pdf Report recommending that the issue be handed over to the Community Boards involved for them to make a more localised decision. FANNZ also provided its Central Otago Submission.doc and Olive McRae and Bruce Spittle from Waitati and Dunedin attended and gave a twenty minute presentation to the Council on behalf of FANNZ and their own personal submissions.
This issue will therefore likely to be heard at the Vincent Community Board meeting on the 16th June and the Cromwell Community Board meeting on the 7th July. This issue has definitley not been decided on so it is really important for residents to let their community board members know how they feel. Attending the community board meeting would be an excellent way to do this. Act before it is too late!!
24th November 2007
FANNZ sent the following submission to Clutha District Council Clutha letter to full council.doc with a number of attachments.
