I am saddened by the decision by the Oberon Council to fluoridate our town water supply. As it stands at this point in time, all people who wish to use fluoride are free to do so and have many and varying ways to do so and those of us who wish not to are also free to do so. However, with council's decision on July 17, this choice has now been taken away from individuals who choose not to. This decision has ultimately taken away our basic human right, our freedom of choice.

I have noticed that there are major differences in the council's survey of the town in relation to fluoridation of our water supply and the phone survey initiated by NSW Health.

I have noted that council’s survey of 610 people, where there were a clear 192 people in favour and 418 people against fluoridation, being a percentage of 31.5 per cent for and 68.5 per cent against, was dismissed by council members, who chose to go against the town’s majority vote, relying on the NSW Health-initiated phone survey of only 371 people being contacted (a strange and unusual figure), where 196 people were in favour and 129 against, with 45 undecided, being a percentage of 53 per cent for, 35 per cent against and 12 per cent undecided.

I have since taken it upon myself to conduct my own survey of the town residents, enabling both for and against to sign this petition, where to date I have received 200 signatures, with 15 for fluoridation and 185 against.

I would like to thank all of those who signed both for and against and thank you for receiving us at your doorstep.

I am asking the community to please continue to have your voice heard, as we still have a ways to go to gather all of your signatures either way. I would like the community to know that I have placed current petitions for you to sign at the Oberon Post Office, DJ’s Cafe, Peters Cafe and also Oberon Engineering.

The figures obtained thus far have really got me questioning council's position on this matter. Choosing to vote against their own survey, with the town majority being against fluoridation, is, in my opinion, grossly unjust and a grave injustice to our freedom of choice.

I question why our council, which has no legal authority over us, wants to mass medicate our water supply against our wishes?

Most people are aware that fluoride is already naturally occurring and already present in our water supplies, food and drinks that we consume on a daily basis, as well as toothpaste that is readily available in all homes and has a clear warning on the tube: “Do not swallow.”