Fluoride Action Network New Zealand (FAANZ) activist Olive McRae contacted the Otago Daily Times yesterday to demand an apology from Cr Guest, after she failed to appear at the Dunedin City Council annual plan hearing as scheduled on Wednesday afternoon.
Her no-show prompted Cr Guest to joke: "She's at the dentist."
However, Ms McRae did not see the funny side, telling the ODT she had intended to speak on behalf of FAANZ in opposition to the city's continued fluoridation of drinking water.
The council sent written notification to all submitters wishing to speak, notifying them of the day and time to come to the Municipal Chambers, but Ms McRae's had failed to arrive, she said.
Council governance manager Sandy Graham confirmed it had been sent, but "unfortunately it doesn't appear to have made it to the address she supplied to us".
Ms McRae said she was disappointed to miss her chance to address the council, but still wanted an apology from Cr Guest.
"I think it's really inappropriate to laugh at the health and wellbeing of the community.
"His [Cr Guest's] cavalier attitude towards health reflects my belief . . . councils are not qualified to have anything to do with health," she said.
However, Cr Guest defended his joke when contacted, saying it was a "humorous comment" after listening to 31 hours of submissions over three days.
"No apology is necessary. I do not have a casual attitude towards health problems. To the contrary, I just happen to hold different views from her and I hold them just as strongly as she holds hers."
