Victorian Fluoride Action Group

On a cold wet winter's night in August 2007, around 800 people left the warmth of their homes and attended a meeting in Warrnambool, Australia to listen to a debate on the Victorian Government's plans to add fluoride to their water supply. They were addressed by several highly credentialed speakers, including the past president of the South Australian branch of the Australian Dentist's Association, Andrew Harms, who was himself a former advocate of fluoride.

Sadly the debate failed to eventuate as not one of the thirty four people who were invited to give the pro fluoride view accepted the invitation. Those invited included the Premier of Victoria, the Health Minister, the heads of the Department of Human Services (who are responsible for the implementation of the Government's fluoride policy), members of the Dental Profession and the Warrnambool City Council, who had included fluoride in their 2006 Health Plan.

At the end of this meeting, the attendees voted unanimously to oppose the introduction of fluoride to their water supply and demanded that a referendum of all Australians should be held on the fluoridation issue.

It was the largest public meeting held anywhere in the world to debate the merits or otherwise of fluoride.

The DHS lied to us

Department of Human Services spokesman Mr Bram Alexander stated in May 2007 that "We have provided information to the community and we would not make a decision about Warrnambool's water supply until we had the support of the community". But they have made a decision. Was it before or after the above mentioned meeting that they decided they had the support of the community?

The Victorian Fluoride Action Group

The Victorian Fluoride Action Group was formed in January 2008 at a meeting of the residents of several rural and regional Towns and Cities to provide a united front to fight against the Government's intention to forcibly introduce Fluoride into their water supplies. Although several areas, including Ballarat, Castlemaine, Daylesford, Geelong, Hamilton, Mildura and Warrnambool have been very strong in their opposition to Fluoride, they had each been acting on their own. We have now joined forces.

So What Now?

The Victorian Government has been extremely cunning in the way they have performed this roll out, although more than likely it's not an original idea but is just mirroring what is being done nationally, and quite probably even, internationally.

They know that by introducing fluoridation to one region at a time, most of the opposition to it will only be coming from that one region. This will cause quite intense spot fires for a while but the Government, through the DHS is able to use its power to steamroll any opposition and achieve their aims in that region. After all, how could Wodonga or Bendigo or Horsham or the Latrobe Valley etc be expected to defeat the State Government on their own? Of course they couldn't. And when it's all over the members of each of these groups, who have fought so hard and long now feel totally emasculated. Their web pages are still out there, unattended, like dead flowers on a roadside fatality memorial. They have given it their best shot, but despite all their efforts, they must feel they have failed.

But they haven't failed!

Do you really think that the DHS and State Government are not well and truly aware of this opposition? John Carnie and company will be heaving a big sigh of relief each time another area is able to get a tick on the fluoride map of Victoria, and they would then feel safer in the knowledge that yet another group of their opponents was about to disappear.

But it's not time to disappear at all. It's now time to regroup. Those who fought so hard to prevent fluoridation in their communities only to be swept aside need to become active again. The aim of the Victorian Fluoride Action Group is not only to prevent any further fluoridation but to encourage those that are already fluoridated to resume the fight to have it removed.

Right now the tide is turning. And it's coming in fast. Regardless of the official stance of their organizations, more and more members of the Dental, Medical and Scientific communities, particularly overseas, are questioning the practice of placing this substance in water supplies. And just because the treatment plants have been installed and the fluoride is flowing doesn't mean that it's over. Our aim should not only be to prevent the introduction of fluoridation in new areas, but to have it removed from existing ones. And this includes Melbourne and all other cities and towns around Australia.

On the 3rd of December 1854 in Ballarat, the miners lost the battle against the might of the 40th Military Regiment at the Eureka uprising. It was all over in a matter of minutes and when it was finished, twenty-two miners had lost their lives. Yet this debacle, as it must have seemed at the time, has become one of the cornerstones of our Democracy. It established the right of the ordinary person to fight against the Government of the day. That loss was probably the greatest victory for Democracy in Australia's short history.

Where do we go from here?

Although a large part of the population is aware that there is a raging debate taking place over this issue, probably most have not made an informed decision about where they stand on it. Word of mouth can only carry the message to those who are near enough to hear it. The internet can only carry it to those who search for it. What is needed is more media coverage.

And subject to legal advice, which we are currently seeking, the Victorian Fluoride Action Group is prepared to mount a High Court challenge against the Victorian Government on several possible grounds, one of which is, that enforced medication is in direct contravention of the International Bill of Human Rights of which Australia is a signatory.

What can you do?

Advertising and legal representation doesn't come cheap. We have had a very successful TV advertising campaign running in Western Victoria as well as having printed and distributed 25,000 flyers. All this has been funded by the generous donations of supporters and we intend to continue with this and other information campaigns. Any donation you can make would be greatly appreciated. We may have right on our side but the State Government has virtually unlimited resources to pour into advertising campaigns and legal costs. Ironically they can use Victorian citizens' money to promote something that is not in the best interests of those citizens.

If you can help, please forward your cheque to the "Warrnambool Fluoride Action Group" at P.O. Box 915 Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia 3280 or alternatively by EFT to: