Australia - 'No barrier' to fluoride

PREMIER Peter Beattie has insisted his Government's plans to build a southeast Queensland water grid are no barrier to councils fluoridating their own drinking supplies.Mr Beattie yesterday said councils in the region could add fluoride at downstream treatment stations which supplied their areas."Brisbane could put it in at Mt Crosby, Gold Coast could put it in at their local area," he said.Mr Beattie's comments come amid confusion over whether individual councils could still choose to fluoridate their water supplies with the introduction of the grid.The Government is offering rebates to councils for the set-up costs of fluoridating their drinking supplies. But the grid will be capable of shifting water from one region to another.Mr Beattie hinted that there might be changes to the Government's bid to put the fluoride onus on councils."The Water Commission is going to have to look at this and give us advice," he said.The five-year $6 million statewide rebate scheme for fluoride infrastructure has been a flop with not one council taking up the offer.

Local Government Association of Queensland president Paul Bell said the state should "bite the bullet and mandate fluoridation of water supplies statewide".