Australia - NSW offers defiant councils $7.5m

• NSW offers defiant councils $7.5m incentive to add fluoride to water

  Health minister hopes to persuade 15 local authorities to change their minds on fluoridation, but won't force them
  Australian Associated Press
• theguardian.com, Wednesday 18 September 2013 05.21 BST

Councils can currently choose whether or not to add fluoride, a dental health booster, to their water supplies. Photograph: Cate Gillon/Getty

The New South Wales government is offering a $7.5m incentive that it hopes will persuade recalcitrant councils to fluoridate their drinking water.

But the state health minister, Jillian Skinner, said the government would not support a Labor bill that would give state authorities power to force local councils to put the tooth-strengthening chemical in their drinking water.

The government wanted to support councils in making their own decisions, rather than take a "big stick" approach.

"It is for this reason we are boosting our infrastructure support for councils who have avoided fluoridation to encourage them to deliver this vital service to the community," Skinner said.

The minister says the funds are aimed at encouraging those councils to reverse their decisions....

The big stick or the carrot - you will have fluoride!