Australia's closest neighbour has run the opposite experiment to Queensland. Instead of handing fluoridation to councils, New Zealand took it off them.
The law
The Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 moved fluoridation decisions from local councils to the Director-General of Health, who must weigh the evidence, cost-effectiveness and local oral health.
The orders and the court fight
- July 2022: Director-General Ashley Bloomfield directed 14 councils to fluoridate.
- November 2023: the High Court found the directions unlawful because they didn't explicitly consider the NZ Bill of Rights Act, but left them in place.
- May 2024: the High Court dismissed a separate challenge to Hastings' fluoridation, with costs of more than $41,000 awarded against the anti-fluoride groups.
- December 2024: the directions were reconfirmed after a Bill of Rights assessment.
- 29 June 2026: a five-judge Court of Appeal allowed the Crown's appeal, finding there was no standalone duty to do a Bill of Rights assessment, and set aside the 2023 finding of unlawfulness.
Where it stands
Tauranga began fluoridating in October 2024 and Whangārei in March 2025. Kerikeri and Kaitaia in the Far North started on 31 July 2026.
Why it matters for Australia
Australia's dental bodies are now asking Queensland to take back control from councils, the same move New Zealand made. Opponents in both countries argue that removing local choice removes the last democratic check. Watch how the Queensland debate references New Zealand in 2027.