Page 3547 - Week 11 - Thursday, 23 October 2014
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non-profit community organisations to sell only foods that are lower risk but less healthy to avoid registration. This approach aligns with the government’s towards zero growth healthy weight action plan, a key pillar of which is the promotion of healthy eating.
In deregulating non-profit community organisations, I propose to include a power for the Minister for Health to declare an event at which all food-related activity is covered by the act. Such declarations would be made in respect of large public gatherings, such as the National Multicultural Festival, at which the potential impacts of unsafe food handling are significant. All community organisations and food businesses operating at such events will be required to complete a streamlined registration process, including free online food safety training.
I would like to assure members that the Public Health Act will also continue to apply to community organisations that undertake food-related activities. This act allows a public health officer to seize unsafe items, including food, to prevent or mitigate a public health risk. I have also instructed the Health Directorate to implement enhanced education and awareness-raising activities to ensure community organisations have ready access to critical food safety information and resources.
In deregulating non-profit community organisations, it is intended that only those food-related activities that are undertaken for the purpose of fundraising are exempted from the Food Act. Organisations that conduct food-related activities primarily to provide a food service, rather than to raise funds, will continue to be captured by the act. For example, a school canteen with volunteer staff will still be required to register and have a food safety supervisor.
I would now like to turn attention to the amendments in the bill that relate specifically to food businesses. Among the changes being proposed is the removal of the notification requirement under the Food Act. Currently, food businesses that are exempt from registering under the act must instead notify their details to the Health Directorate.
Generally speaking, businesses captured by the notification requirement are those that handle or sell low-risk food, for example prepackaged shelf-stable items such as potato crisps, plain breads and biscuits, or are involved in food transport. Their day-to-day activities are unlikely to contribute to foodborne illnesses; hence the requirement to notify is seen as overly onerous.
Businesses that handle or sell foods that are potentially hazardous, such as foods that require temperature control, will not be affected by this amendment. These businesses will still be required to register under the act. Food businesses that sell food at a declared event will also continue to be regulated.
The second amendment included in the bill will enable the Minister for Health to exempt a food business from the requirement to appoint a food safety supervisor. As members may recall, in the lead-up to the commencement of the food safety supervisor scheme, concerns were raised at the compliance burden associated with requiring every food business to have at least one person with advanced food safety training. It was felt this requirement was disproportionate to the public health risks
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