This survey has three questions to gauge the views of Noosa State Electorate residents on two very different topics. The first two questions are regarding fluoridation and the third is on the proposed implementation by the State Government of a public sex offender register. Please read the background on both topics below before continuing to complete the survey.

Fluoridation background

In 2012, the Queensland Government amended legislation to allow Local Governments to decide whether they would fluoridate their water supply on a council-by-council basis. Prior to this, water suppliers were required by the Queensland Government to add fluoride to any public potable water supply that provided water to at least 1000 people.

The Australian Dental Association – Queensland Branch (ADAQ) has recently called for the State Government to mandate fluoridation for all of Queensland as has been the case previously.

Currently fluoride is added in the twenty-five out of seventy-seven Councils, including Noosa and the other ten in Southeast Queensland (SEQ), with non-fluoridised water in the remaining fifty-two councils across Queensland.

Further research compiled regarding the claims for and against fluoridation and how it is legislated in other states is available at www.sandybolton.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Research-regarding-fluoridation.pdf. There is also a Queensland Government factsheet on the process for Local Government to either commence or cease fluoridation available at www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/1379402/faqs-local-gov-fluoridation-decisions.pdf.

Results from this portion of the survey will help define the Noosa position and will be shared with both Noosa Council and State Government.

Public Sex Offender register background

As part of its election campaign, the new Government put forward a proposal to implement a public sex offender register in Queensland modelled on the already existing Western Australian sex offender register.

The laws are supported by child safety advocates Bruce and Denise Morcombe, with a three-tiered system:

  • Tier One includes a publicly available website with photographs and personal details of reportable offenders, who have failed to comply with their reporting obligations or provided false or misleading information to police.
  • Tier Two includes an application-based system to identify high-risk offenders living in a local area. Queenslanders will be able to apply for a photograph of an offender, so they know what they look like and can be more vigilant of risks.
  • Tier Three includes a Community Protection Disclosure Scheme. Parents or guardians will be able inquire about a specific person who has regular unsupervised contact with their child, so they know if their child is being exposed to dangerous offenders.

Currently in Queensland, the Child Protection (Offender Reporting and Offender Prohibition Order) Act 2004 establishes a non-public sex offender register. The Act requires certain offenders to report their personal details to the police for a period while living in the community. The Queensland Government says the intentions behind the current register and the reporting include reducing the likelihood that sex offenders will reoffend.

Research regarding a public sex offender register including claims both for and against is available at www.sandybolton.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Research-regarding-a-public-sex-offender-register.pdf.

Results from this portion of the survey will also help define the Noosa position and will be shared with the State Government.

Survey

If you are unsure whether you reside in the Noosa Electorate, please visit www.ecq.qld.gov.au/electoral-boundaries/where-is-my-electorate.

The Survey closes 12pm on Monday 24 February and is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2HX32YK

For residents needing a paper copy or who would like to make additional comments after completing the survey, please contact our office on 5319 3100 or via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au. Anyone who resides outside the Noosa Electorate should share their views with their local state member of parliament.

Further information

To see results from our surveys on others matters relevant to Noosa, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Survey

Updates on many local matters are available on Noosa 360 at www.sandybolton.com/noosa360. To receive information straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter via www.sandybolton.com/newsletters. This also ensures you receive any future Noosa related surveys or polls.