Through gritted teeth

WHEN I have car trouble, I ask my mechanic to check it out for me. When I need financial advice, I ask my accountant. When I have tried everything I can think of to get my two-year-old to eat broccoli, I ask my mum for advice. And when I, or my loved ones, have a toothache or are sick we ask our dentist and doctor for help. But when Cairns Regional Council was presented with a petition signed by 134 health professionals, including 80 doctors, urging councillors to listen to scientific evidence about fluoridation, they said thanks but stick it. Councils have three options when a petition is lodged and in this case seven of our 10 councillors voted to receive the petition but, shockingly, didn’t ask for a report. So that petition now is in a filing cabinet somewhere in council filed between “A” for arrogance and “I” for ignorance.

Today we publish a letter from council stating that our follow-up story which we ran on Page 1 yesterday needed clarification. The letter takes umbrage over our article by experienced council reporter Jim Campbell, which stated that during Wednesday’s Ordinary Council meeting Cr John Schilling “threw normal process out the window” in dealing with the petition.

Make no mistake – council is hiding behind semantics.

The normal and usual process for this council is that in almost all cases when petitions are lodged, councillors ask for a report from council officers.

Why? It’s because they’re looking for clarity, facts and recommendations for action that is in the best interests of the community. But in this case, bewilderingly, they decided it didn’t need facts or recommendations from council officers they rely on to make a thousand other important decisions.

They said no to professional advice about one of the most emotive issues in Queensland history. And yet minutes later in the same council meeting they accepted and handed over to those same officers two petitions about road infrastructure changes.

Again, why? It’s because those seven councillors knew there was a likelihood that a report would back fluoridation.

That’s because council officers deal in facts and science. Councillors also ignored science when JCU offered to make a presentation to them on the benefits of fluoridation.

Ironically, council did seek external legal advice before executing a plan to buy the Courthouse Hotel and turn it into an arts precinct.

Ethically and habitually, councillors John Schilling, Linda Cooper, Cathy Zeiger, Brett Olds, Jessie Richardson, Max O’Halloran and Terry James didn’t follow normal process.

Their (lack of) action begs the question: What is the point of our society having medical professionals if we ignore what they have to say?

THEIR (LACK OF) ACTION BEGS THE QUESTION: WHAT IS THE POINT OF OUR SOCIETY HAVING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IF WE IGNORE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY?