Food outlets, local governments and other interested parties are being invited to take part in an extensive review of Victoria’s Food Act. The Food Act 1984 regulates the sale of food in Victoria, to ensure food is safe and suitable for human consumption and a number of possible changes to the current legislation have already been outlined. “The Brumby Government is taking action to ensure the highest standards of food safety for all Victorians,” Health Minister Daniel Andrews... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released details of two possible changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code- regulations that govern the sale of food in Australia and New Zealand. FSANZ is inviting individuals or organisations with an interest in food matters to comment on applications from industry to change the definition of ‘wine-based beverage’ and to allow the use of an enzyme derived from a genetically modified source. Definition of ‘wine-based beverage’:... ...Read more »

Over 70 of the most influential intellectuals and industry representatives in the food and pharmaceutical sectors converged on Melbourne’s Federation Square on Friday 27 June 2008 for the Pharmafood Forum organised by InnovationXchange. Speakers at the conference discussed a broad range of issues for the food and pharmaceutical industries and, in particular, the growing overlap between the two industries as consumers increase their demand for foods which serve a functional purpose. A... ...Read more »

The climate is now right for Australia to embark on a third wave of competition and consumer policy law reform, ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said today. The proposed reforms already foreshadowed to the Trade Practices Act 1974, include changes to the misuse of market power and predatory pricing provisions, legislating against so-called creeping acquisitions, the introduction of criminal sanctions for cartel conduct and reforms to the whole framework of consumer protection. Mr Samuel said... ...Read more »

The Australian Government is not the only government making policy changes to curb binge drinking rates as concern spreads worldwide. Like the Rudd Government, the American Government has increased alcopop taxes, while England is considering increasing prices of alcohol in supermarkets. Scotland, though, are planning to go further, with a range of initiatives planned to limit binge drinking. The Scottish Government yesterday launched its new approach with the aim of changing Scotland’s... ...Read more »

The Rudd Government is to consider two new measures to simplify small business taxation and reduce small business compliance costs. The potential changes, relating to income tax and GST, are designed to make it easier for small businesses to comply with their tax obligations.An entity flow-through tax regime, developed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Deloitte, proposes that ownership arrangements will be set to one side for income tax purposes. Instead, the entity is treated like a... ...Read more »

The ‘chain of responsibility’ could be about to become more stringent, with new laws to be introduced in NSW to crackdown on companies setting unrealistic deadlines. If the legislation is passed, businesses, which promote unsafe driving practices by enforcing impractical targets, will be charged and/or fined. The NSW initiative follows the nationwide introduction of the ‘chain of responsibility’, which came into force in 2005. This legislation was introduced to ensure that... ...Read more »

In the midst of an escalating global food crisis - precipitating riots in several countries - the National Farmers Federation (NFF) has outlined their worries about the “knee-jerk leap” to trade distorting policies by foreign governments. The NFF, peak industry body for Australian farmers, believe the decisions taken are simply misguided attempts to reduce domestic prices. “In response to high food prices, some Governments have counteracted with short-sighted policies to restrict... ...Read more »

Europe is fast becoming the world’s leading exporter of food regulation as authorities in many countries increasingly look for models on which to base their legislation, a food policy expert has said. Speaking at the Vitafoods International Discussion Forum in Geneva on Thursday 8 May, Simon Pettman said that, with international regulators now more closely monitoring developments in the EU, ‘getting it right’ in Europe is essential. Mr Pettman, Director of international food and nutrition... ...Read more »

The South Australian Government’s program to help rid school canteens of junk food has come under fire from the Liberal Opposition due to concerns about food additives. The ‘Rite-Bite’ campaign initiated by the Labor Party is designed to reduce fat, sugar and salt content in school canteens across South Australia, but the lack of policing of preservatives and additives worries the opposition. Shadow Education Minister, David Pisoni, has now called for an investigation into... ...Read more »