Page 1799 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 18 October 1989
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In the Canberra Times on 11 October again that great party within this Assembly, the Liberal Party, was held up to ridicule by the tensions created by this issue:
The ACT's four Liberals were silent yesterday over their decision on fluoride. After what is believed to have been a fiery lunchtime meeting, the members refused to speak on the decision, although one had been made yesterday afternoon. The four MLA's were seen leaving the Assembly building after the meeting at about 1.30 and had not returned for the early afternoon session of the estimates committee.
And, finally, the Canberra Times on 12 October took the same line.
This has been a tragic episode in the very short life of this Assembly. The opportunity was there to avoid these circumstances, and that opportunity was rejected outright by the majority of members of this Assembly. People were cautioned as to the consequences of refusing to take that opportunity. That was the opportunity to consult with the community, to consult with the community of Queanbeyan, and to take advice before the drastic action that followed. It is with a certain disappointment that I find we have been forced into this position today of effectively rescinding the decision made on the last occasion and of having been in this Assembly when a course of action was taken that exposed us to the ridicule which has been demonstrated here.
MR MOORE (12.24): The Residents Rally originally decided to put the removal of fluoride into its policy because it thought it would find a way to maximise the benefits and minimise the harm of fluoride. We have never in this debate at any stage argued along the lines, as some others have, of fluoride being a poison or any of those sorts of lines. There are people who wish to argue that way, and they certainly are entitled to, but it has not been our process. We have recognised the scientific evidence that has illustrated some great benefits of fluoride, to children's teeth in particular, and that is recognised in our party policy by suggesting that there should be methods of making fluoride available to people should they wish to use it.
It is very interesting that the Deputy Chief Minister should finish his speech on a note involving the consultation process. The debate about the consultation process was whether we should carry out our consultation on a level ground or maintain the status quo.
The Residents Rally had solidarity on its view that it should be on level ground. The Labor Party then decided that it would be politically opportunistic about this whole issue, and it was that party's opportunistic push that brought this Assembly into the disrepute that the Chief Minister spoke of in his quotations from articles.
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