15-09-2025
REF: 23-0001 OIR 2025-09-10 > 2025-10-08 - ROB - Science Manager - BOPRC
Dear Carol,
Thank you for your acknowledgement of my OIA (Ref: 23-0001), and I include the history to-date below for reference.
For clarity, I now add the following specific questions:
In Tauranga City Council, who authorised the substitution of fluoride with fluorosilicic acid in the public water supply? Please provide the name(s), position(s), and date(s) of the authorisation.
What legal or statutory authority permits this substitution, and under which document(s) was it made?
Please provide any documents or studies that validate fluorosilicic acid as an acceptable equivalent to fluoride for the purposes of compliance with national fluoridation policy.
Finally, I request that any potential charges be communicated in advance of engagement, and justified against the LGOIMA criteria of “reasonable to do so.” This information is a matter of public record and should already be held by Council in readily available form.
I document the response will be received no later than 8 October 2025 but as this is a matter of public health and safety, I recommend it be treated with urgency.
Ngā mihi,
Ian Stephenson
Mayoral Candidate — Tauranga 2028
-----2 September 2025 OIR - Original ------------------------------
Subject: Second Urgent Request — Fluorosilicic Acid & Public Safety
Kia ora Rob,
Thank you for your reply. We have reviewed the February 2025 Rotorua presentation you supplied. With respect, this does not address Tauranga’s situation. This is now our second urgent request for clarity and immediate action.
Key Questions
Tauranga EIR — Can you confirm whether Tauranga City Council has commissioned or completed its own Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for fluoridation at 90 Devonport Road? Yes or No?
Duty of Care — Do you accept that without providing information to child-bearing mothers and families, Council is failing its duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, particularly to its own pregnant employees and the public? Yes or No?
Data Gap — You stated Council does not know how much fluorosilicic acid is already present in the environment. How can Council lawfully proceed with dosing Tauranga’s water supply without this required data?
Representation
Please confirm: are you personally representing Tauranga City Council’s official position on fluoridation? If not, who is?
Trajectory Theory Analysis
To expedite matters, we have anticipated your likely responses and analysed why they fail:
“This is TCC’s responsibility, not BOPRC’s.”
Fails: Both Regional and City Councils are jointly responsible for public health and environmental outcomes. Passing the issue between agencies is not a lawful substitute for an EIR.“Rotorua’s report is sufficient.”
Fails: Rotorua potable water is not Tauranga’s system. Tauranga requires its own EIR under environmental law.“Fluoride is widely used and safe.”
Fails: The compound here is fluorosilicic acid, not medical-grade fluoride. These are chemically distinct with different toxicological profiles.“We’ll look into it later.”
Fails: Infants are being exposed daily. Delay prolongs risk and liability.“We don’t hold this information.”
Fails: Confirms no Tauranga EIR exists, which supports our request for immediate cessation.
Urgent Action Requested
Because infants are at risk today, we request:
Immediate cessation of fluoridation in Tauranga until a proper Tauranga-specific EIR is completed.
Immediate public advisory to pregnant women, families, and staff about potential risks, pending that investigation.
We have already done the analysis for you. Please act with urgency.
Ngā mihi,
Ian Stephenson
Mayoral Candidate — Tauranga 2028
Kia ora Rob,
We have been reviewing your report "Environmental impacts of fluoridation" - Rotorua City water supply - February 2025
It appears as if that report was inadequate for the Rotorua Lakes Council because on 13 Feb 2025, the council unanimously asked the Minister of Health to withdraw the fluoridation directive until there is a public inquiry into safety and efficacy. (Letter attached)
Please take this into consideration when completing our request for information.
Ngā mihi,
Ian Stephenson
Mayoral Candidate — Tauranga 2028
-----15 September 2025 OIR - Reply from BOPRC ------------------------------
Dear Ian,
RE: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF YOUR INFORMATION REQUEST 23-0001
Thank you for your request for information dated 10th September 2025 which was received by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Council) on 10th September 2025.
Your request for information is being considered as a request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).
We will make a decision on your request and communicate this decision to you as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than 8th October 2025 which is 20 working days after the day on which we received your request as per section 13(1) LGOIMA. We will then make available any information we decide to release to you without undue delay.
We are entitled to charge for a request for information if we consider it is reasonable to do so. If we decide to charge you for the information requested then we are not obligated to release the information to you if you do not agree to pay the charge.
Our LGOIMA responses may be published on the Council website. If we do this, we will not publish the requester’s personal or contact details. Please contact us if you have any concerns.
If you contact the Council about this request, please quote the BOPRC reference number above
Ngā Mihi │ Kind regards,
Carol
Carol Flynn
Information Advisor
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana
P: 0800 884 880 DD: 0800 884 881 x8999
E: Carolyn.Flynn@boprc.govt.nz
W: www.boprc.govt.nz
A: PO Box 364, Whakatāne 3158, New Zealand
My hours of business are 6:00am – 2.30pm
Thriving together – mō te taiao, mō ngā tāngata
Comments
Post a Comment