Lismore Council: Digging its Own Legal Grave

By AFAMildura.
Recently, Lismore Council reaffirmed its commitment to fluoridating the town’s water supply. However, with misplaced power comes arrogance, and with arrogance comes mistakes.

Councillor Neil Marks should have chosen his words more carefully when he stated the following:

“We’ve had the debate, we’ve had the education, now it’s time to move on… It’s our decision, we own it and it will be our legacy one way or another” (1).

Well, well, Councillor Marks, congratulations. You have just waved a red flag to a legal bull.

Firstly, you falsely claim a right that neither you nor your Council have – i.e. the right to treat people without their informed consent to treatment. Perhaps if you knew that informed consent to treatment is a universal human right, and that failure to obtain consent can result in serious charges (2), you may have thought twice before asserting rights you do not actually have.

Secondly – and most significantly – you claim that your Council fully “owns” its decision to mass treat its population without informed consent to treatment. Great! So that means you have just accepted legal liability for that decision. I’m sure those upon whom you are forcing treatment (without their informed consent) will be glad to learn that Lismore Council is prepared to accept full responsibility for any harm that may result from the treatment, and/or for any ethical grievances caused as a result of denial of human rights.

Councillor Marks, perhaps it is time to show your fellow Councillors this video clip:

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/anti-fluoridation-association-of-mildura/lismore-council-digging-its-own-legal-grave/377237849088600

News Update
Lismore: Peter pulls the pin over fluoride
Source: The Northern Star | December 14th, 2013 | By Andy Parks
PETER Lehner has been awarded for his services to the community by Lismore Council, but now the popular choirmaster is packing up and leaving Lismore in disgust after council’s position on fluoride.
“It’s a human rights issue. These six people have waived the precautionary principle to mass medicate us all. I don’t want to see them or be around them ever again. I don’t believe in them. I’m disgusted and leaving,” Mr Lehner said.
He moved to Lismore from Sydney five years ago. He had been running a choir for homeless people there called the Sydney Street Choir and after connecting with people through the Winsome Hotel, he started a similar choir there that became known as the Bridge Street Choir.
It has been so successful that it spawned other community choirs including the Healing Voices Choir (for people with mental health issues and their supporters); the Winsome Lose Some Gospel Choir (for anyone) and the One Breath Choir (for advanced singers).
Mr Lehner plans to move to Mullumbimby early in the New Year.
“We’ll have to see how things unfold,” he said.
Mr Lehner said he will not spend any money when he comes to Lismore.
“I’m very good at boycotting. I’ve been boycotting Nestle for 23 years and I’m a vegetarian. I have very strong beliefs and work with my heart and with my integrity,” he said.
Mr Lehner is particularly upset with Mayor Jenny Dowell whom he previously thought was a great community advocate.
“I really believed she cares for people, but now I’m not sure. I was trying to reach her heart, but she wouldn’t listen. She said she made up her mind six years ago.”
He said he won’t participate in any events where Mayor Dowell will be.
Another Lismore resident of 13 years, Taran Tula is also threatening to leave Lismore.
“If I could live in Byron Shire without fluoride, that would be a very attractive proposition,” she said.
Ms Tula said there should be a referendum on fluoride to accurately gauge community feeling.