WATER FLUORIDATION

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (14:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Health another question about water fluoridation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON: On 7 January this year, the United States federal Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency, issued a joint statement advising that they were recommending the level of fluoride in the United States' drinking water be lowered to a maximum 0.7 parts per million, down from the previous recommendation of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million in its guidelines for water providers, similar to ours.

The revised recommendation, the first since fluoridation commenced in the United States nearly 50 years ago, followed scientific risk assessments performed by the Environmental Protection Agency that in part found over 40 per cent of American teens now show signs of dental fluorosis, a sign of excessive fluoride intake that can lead to severe pitting and staining of teeth. Those reviews, which were released on the same day, also confirmed earlier research showing that prolonged high intake of fluoride can increase the risk of skeletal fluorosis, leading to brittle bones, fractures and crippling bone abnormalities.

In announcing the revised recommended maximum of 0.7 parts per million, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services emphasised the Environmental Protection Agency's findings of other sources of fluoride intake, such as from dental products like toothpaste and mouthwashes; food, such as seafood, meat and processed food; and beverages constituted with fluoridated water, as well as tea, which is very high in fluoride.

It seems that the United States has finally complied with the World Health Organisation's recommendations in 1994 to determine the prevailing fluoride intake from all sources, including drinking water, food and the general environment. Unfortunately, that was a recommendation made by our own NHMRC in Australia in 1991, which has been ignored. My questions to the minister are:

1. Was the minister advised of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and EPA revising the recommended maximum fluoride down to 0.7 parts per million over one month ago?

2. Will the minister now reconsider his support for forced water fluoridation at one part per million, almost 43 per cent higher than that now recommended by the DHHS and the EPA in the United States?

3. Will the minister now ensure that the NHMRC recommendation made in 1991 for an audit into overall fluoride intake will be undertaken, and to review, perhaps, South Australia's fluoride dosing levels?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises) (14:46): I thank the member for her questions and will refer those to the Minister for Health in another place and bring back a response.