Mercury (Hobart)

No to fluoride

- Councillor Rodney Blenkhorn Kentish Council Marie Gregory-Naum Austins Ferry

MINISTER Ferguson, the whole idea of using public water supplies to medicate population­s is ridiculous to everyone with at least a little common sense. Every time you go to the toilet, use your washing machine or wash your car, you generate the fluoride cash register. Imagine the money flowing into the register when the fire brigade turns on its hoses. The fluoridati­on process as a commercial project has the highest financial waste-product rating known to the world — 99.9 per cent. Children for whom this scheme was invented drink less than 0.1 per cent of the water. Ask your dentist or doctor, and more importantl­y the person you voted into Parliament, to explain the economics of adding fluoride to the water supply and how much fluoride each child under 12 drinks.

A true champion

CONGRATULA­TIONS to Roger Federer on his record eighth Wimbledon title. Ace move to also use this opportunit­y to sell eight signed commemorat­ive tennis racquets, with all proceeds going to his charity providing high-quality education in Africa. The Roger Federer Foundation’s focus on those in need has helped 650,000 children so far. However, around 250 million of the world’s poorest children still lack access to basic education, and student-teacher ratios are as high as 76 to one in Malawi. The recent Federal Budget cut of $303 million in future Australian aid was like closing the book on these children’s chances to use schooling to help transform themselves and their communitie­s. A generous Government increase in education spending would follow in Roger’s agile footsteps, and grand slam the barriers of poverty to help create a better future for the world’s poorest children.

Aesthetics valued

WHAT a relief, our Premier, Will Hodgman has finally realised why Tasmania is so loved by locals and interstate and overseas visitors. I was pleased to hear and then see him speak about the Fragrance Towers not being, in his opinion, appropriat­e for Hobart’s amenity, aesthetics or quality of life.

So as a community representa­tive of his electorate, I am asking the Premier to please step in and stop the inappropri­ate overdevelo­pment by foreign developmen­t company Chambroad in Kangaroo Bay, Bellerive from proceeding. These two 20metre high buildings will ruin, forever, Bellerive’s amenity, aesthetics and the quality of life in our community.

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