Australia - Challenge to fluoride plants
.................At present any development application that goes before council can only consider the planning issues relating to the buildings housing the dosing plants and not the issue of fluoridation itself, as the NSW Government is the consent authority for water supply.
But father-of-six Al Oshlack said councils must be allowed to look at the broader issues relating to fluoridation.
“They (Rous Water) are intending to circumvent the relevant planning laws and escape public scrutiny.” he said. “When you’re talking about matters of environmental assessment, you cannot separate the building from the impact of the actions relating to fluoridation. Councils must be required to look at flood mitigation to prevent spillage of fluoride, correct venting, the possible impact of chemical spills in the transportation of fluoride... and a whole range of other issues.”
However, Mr Franklin said local councils did not have that authority.
“In this instance, because we’re a water supply authority, the planning laws are a bit different,” he said. “As an example, with the recent Wilsons River Source where we built pumping stations on the outskirts of Lismore, we lodged a DA for the buildings with Lismore City Council and they considered the social and environmental aspects of those buildings, but not what could happen within those pumping stations.”
Mr Oshlack said he was prompted to threaten legal action after the accidental overdose of fluoride in Brisbane’s water supply recently.
“Adding toxic poison into a water supply without having any environmental assessment or without allowing for any public submissions is just not on. If you want to build a gazebo, you have to get development approval, yet they want to construct several dosing plants to put a toxin in the water without proper development consent,” he said.
“There is a deep seated resentment in this community at this attempt to foist such a pernicious evil on the health of our citizens. I for one, being a resident for nearly 40 years, will not stand by and let it happen. I am as good as my word and I will get my day in court.”
Mr Franklin said Rous Water is not expecting to lodge a DA for the dosing plants for at least three months.
But father-of-six Al Oshlack said councils must be allowed to look at the broader issues relating to fluoridation.
“They (Rous Water) are intending to circumvent the relevant planning laws and escape public scrutiny.” he said. “When you’re talking about matters of environmental assessment, you cannot separate the building from the impact of the actions relating to fluoridation. Councils must be required to look at flood mitigation to prevent spillage of fluoride, correct venting, the possible impact of chemical spills in the transportation of fluoride... and a whole range of other issues.”
However, Mr Franklin said local councils did not have that authority.
“In this instance, because we’re a water supply authority, the planning laws are a bit different,” he said. “As an example, with the recent Wilsons River Source where we built pumping stations on the outskirts of Lismore, we lodged a DA for the buildings with Lismore City Council and they considered the social and environmental aspects of those buildings, but not what could happen within those pumping stations.”
Mr Oshlack said he was prompted to threaten legal action after the accidental overdose of fluoride in Brisbane’s water supply recently.
“Adding toxic poison into a water supply without having any environmental assessment or without allowing for any public submissions is just not on. If you want to build a gazebo, you have to get development approval, yet they want to construct several dosing plants to put a toxin in the water without proper development consent,” he said.
“There is a deep seated resentment in this community at this attempt to foist such a pernicious evil on the health of our citizens. I for one, being a resident for nearly 40 years, will not stand by and let it happen. I am as good as my word and I will get my day in court.”
Mr Franklin said Rous Water is not expecting to lodge a DA for the dosing plants for at least three months.
posted by Bill at
9:47 AM
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