No universal fluoridation, yet
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Universal fluoridation is not on the cards yet in the Ashburton District, but is certainly bubbling on the horizon.
A law change last year has given the authority to instruct councils whether or not to fluoridate their water to the director-general of health, currently Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
Ashburton District Council infrastructure services group manager Neil McCann said so far the district was not on the fluoride radar.
“Not at this stage but we may be considered again toward end of the calendar year,” he said.
“Council was advised in June this year that we were not included in a list of 14 territorial authorities that were being considered to receive a direction to fluoridate some supplies under their control.”
Ashburton stopped fluoridation across all its supplies in 2002, which was reconsidered in 2007 but not reintroduced, and Methven is currently the only drinking water supply that is fluoridated in the district.
But mandatory fluoridation is in the pipeline.
Universal chlorination of council drinking water supplies will come in from November under Taumata Arowai, the national water services regulator, but Ashburton supplies are already chlorinated.
Fluoridation is not a water quality issue but a health concern so, after the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act came into force in December 2021 the decision was taken off councils and given to the director-general of health.
It is understood 14 councils throughout the country have been selected to begin working on fluoridating their water supplies, and others are sure to follow.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said the director-general of health had not yet issued any local authorities with directions to fluoridate, but it was likely they would commence issuing directions this year.
"Implementation of community water fluoridation will likely take a staged approach. If directions are issued, timeframes for compliance will be based on the individual circumstances of each supply."
Other than Methven, McCann said no other council supplies have the infrastructure to fluoridate the supply and as they are awaiting Government direction there is no provisions to do so either.
“We haven’t made specific budget provision for fluoridation, however, we are considering space requirements for fluoridation equipment as part of future planning,” McCann said.
It’s a similar case in Selwyn.
Water services asset manager Murray England said the Selwyn district had no supplies with fluoride and none of its schemes were currently able to be fluoridated, nor was there any budget for installing the necessary equipment.
Time to Tickle Your Thinker 🧠
If a zookeeper had 100 pairs of animals in her zoo, and two pairs of babies are born for each one of the original animals, then (sadly) 23 animals don’t survive, how many animals do you have left in total?
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Marketing Strategies for Sustainable Selwyn Businesses
The Selwyn Responsible Business Network warmly invites you to a marketing and promotion workshop dedicated exclusively to businesses committed to environmental and social initiatives.
This workshop is designed to empower Selwyn businesses who are already doing amazing environmental and community work but need the tools to effectively share their story, build trust, and attract conscious customers. If you are passionate about your positive impact, this evening is for you.
What You Will Learn:
This interactive evening will feature industry experts who will teach you how to:
Learn how to promote your environmental practices and community work without "greenwashing."
Reach customers who prioritise ethical and sustainable brands.
Create content that is compelling and trustworthy.
Build your story using your values and mission to create engaging narratives.
Expert Speakers:
We are delighted to be joined by a panel of experts in building ethical brands. They will share their years of expertise, answer your questions, and offer tailored advice.
Jo O'Brien | Senior Marketing Advisor, Selwyn District Council
Fleur Harris | NZ Word Trees
Charlotte Cook | Capa Collective
They possess a wealth of experience in marketing and promotion from various perspectives. They'll be ready to share their insights and expertise, answer your questions and offer valuable advice.
Join us to learn how to showcase your positive impact and strengthen our Selwyn business community. Whether you're a long-standing business or just starting out, we encourage you to come along!
The evening will proceed as follows:
Date: Thursday, 5th March
Time: 5:30 PM for drinks & nibbles, 6 PM start
Venue: Lincoln Event Centre
Cost: Free
RSVP: events.humanitix.com...
To help us with catering arrangements, please register your attendance. However, if you're unable to register beforehand, you are still absolutely welcome to come along!
I look forward to seeing you on the evening.
Maree Hamilton
Email rbacoordinator@gmail.com
Phone: 022 438 4496
Our Sponsors
A big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! We extend our sincere appreciation to all our sponsors: Selwyn District Council, Rātā Foundation, Community Operations South Island - Department of Internal Affairs - COGS, Lottery Community, Lincoln University and Lincoln Community Trust.
Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
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9.5% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
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43.4% I want to be able to choose.
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47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
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