133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
24 November 2023
J Bruning
By email: [FYI request #24587 email]
Ref:
H2023032680
Tēnā koe Mr Bruning
Partial response to your request for official information
Thank you for your two requests under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū
Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 30 October 2023 for information relating to community
water fluoridation. Please find a response to each part of your requests below.
Please supply information relating to financial information sent to the Ministry of Health
from these councils:
Whangārei District Council
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Waitaki District Council
Waipa District Council
Tauranga City Council
Tararua District Council
Rotorua Lakes Council
New Plymouth District Council
Nelson City Council
Kawerau District Council
Horowhenua District Council
Hastings District Council
Far North District
Auckland Council
All responses to the original request prior to July 2022. (as described in letters such as
this one, sent to Rotorua Lakes District Council.
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/dg-direction-letter-
rotorua.pdf )
Information relating to this part of your request is publicly available on Manatū Hauora
website at:
www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/binder_of_fluoridation_information_redac
ted_v5.pdf.
Further responses concerning amendments to budgeted costs of fluoridation of water
supplies (this includes revisions to any of the earlier information) that have been sent
to the Ministry of Health, up to October 30, 2023.
Manatū Hauora has identified a number of documents to be within scope of this part of your
request. However, Manatū Hauora has decided to extend the period of time available to
respond to this part of your request under section 15A of the Act, as consultations necessary
to make a decision are such that a proper response to this part of your request cannot
reasonably be made within the original time limit. You can expect copies of the remaining
documents on or before 22 December 2023
Please supply total funding directed to support local drinking water suppliers fluoridate
local water, and details of which councils received a particular funding injection.
- 2021/2022
- 2022/2023
Current proposed budget for 2023/2024 by council and in total.
There was no funding made to any of the local authorities for the 2021/22 financial year. As
for the 2022/23 financial year, Manatū Hauora paid $135,000 to the New Plymouth District
Council.
The budget for capital costs for fluoridating community water supplies is $24 mil ion over a
10-year period to the 2026/27 financial year. Please note, the total budget is not divided by
local authority. Manatū Hauora is currently working with local authorities as they develop
their funding proposals.
It is unclear from appropriations budgets how financial costs for fluoridation are
categorised. Please show/advise how financial ledgers categorise Ministry costs for
fluoridation.
Water Fluoridation appropriation financial costs are categorised as Departmental
Expenditure under the Public Health and Population Health Leadership category of the
Stewardship of the New Zealand Health System multi category appropriation. As for specific
account code categorisation, Manatū Hauora classes the disbursement of these costs as
‘outsourced services’. The local authority that receives this funding would make their own
categorisations across personnel, operating costs etc as needed. Manatū Hauora does not
keep a record of this.
It is understood that fluoridation does not completely prevent caries but that there may
be an uncertain marginal benefit to the DMFT (HNZ00030962). Please advise the
budgeted costs savings to treatment of dental caries for the public health sector from
this initiative in the 0-7 (or - 0-10) age group.
Information within scope of this part of your request is publicly available on Manatū Hauora
website at:
www.health.govt.nz/publication/review-benefits-and-costs-water-fluoridation-new-
zealand.
Please forward all advice and analysis sent to the Director General and/or the Minister
of Health reviewing or discussing any draft version of the NTP Monograph on the State
of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive
Health Effects: A Systematic Review. US National Toxicology Program - from March
2021 onwards.
This part of your request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act, as the information
requested does not exist. It is important to note that the Of ice of the Chief Science Advisor
considered an earlier version of the draft National Toxicology Programme report as part of a
review of evidence on community water fluoridation. A copy of this report can be found at:
www.pmcsa.ac.nz/topics/fluoridation-an-update-on-evidence/. Commentary on the draft
National Toxicology Programme report is on page 25.
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I trust this information fulfils your request. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request
with us, including this decision, please feel free to contact the OIA Services Team on:
[email address].
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-
releases/responses-of icial-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Clare Possenniskie
Acting Group Manager, Public Health Policy & Regulation
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
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