The Victorian State Government has been heavily criticised for offering a grant to Singapore-based Olam International Limited for helping build its proposed “state-of-the-art” almond processing plant in Victoria. The criticisms come at the same time as the Australian Government is being criticised for inadequate support for Australian-owned companies, when foreign investment in the country’s food industry is at a record high. The Singapore based international Olam group bought 8,000 hectares... ...Read more »

The Victorian Coalition Government wrote yesterday, August 8, 2011, to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) asking it to investigate calls for a consumer boycott of the Israeli-owned Max Brenner chocolate shop. On July 1 2011, people from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Group gathered outside of the shop in the Queen Victoria building, in the Melbourne CBD, preventing potential customers from entering the store. The action was part of a campaign to impose a boycott... ...Read more »

A landmark new partnership to improve the sustainability of Australia’s $102 billion food and grocery manufacturing industry in Victoria has been signed today between the Victorian Government and the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). Under the innovative Sustainability Covenant, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, Sustainability Victoria and AFGC will commit up to $500,000 over three years to support food and grocery manufacturers in Victoria to produce food and grocery products... ...Read more »

The ACT community should achieve a reduction of 80 per cent in plastic bag use, ACT Environment Minister Simon Corbell said on Friday. Mr Corbell said the ACT would move to instigate a 12-month trial in the first half of next year of a range of measures, including a charge on plastic bags, to reduce plastic bag use. “The 80 per cent target would be consistent with the results achieved in the recent Victorian trial of a plastic bag charge of 10 cents per bag,” he claimed. “One of... ...Read more »

Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews has proposed a comprehensive review of food labelling law and policy at a meeting of the Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council in Adelaide today. Mr Andrews suggested consumers are confused by the information that is currently required to be included on labels. “Industry, public health experts and consumer groups have also expressed concern about food labelling standards and have indicated that there is a need to simplify food labelling... ...Read more »

Devour Café of Thornbury, Fresh Fish on Line – a Melbourne seafood retailer delivering fresh seafood to customers’ doors and Sprinkle Emporium are the 2008 Businesses of the Year.The Leader Business Achiever Awards are presented across 22 categories, with winners selected from mystery shopping research and Leader readership votes, or by a judging panel. Announced at a gala dinner in North Fitzroy last Thursday night, Mr Helper said the high standard of award recipients reflected the... ...Read more »

Shoppers in Warrnambool, Wangaratta and the Fountain Gate area have dramatically cut plastic bag use during the plastic bag levy trial, according to the Victorian Government. From 18 August to 14 September a ten cent government and industry charge was placed on plastic checkout bags from Coles, Woolworths (Safeway) and IGA stores in the three trial areas of Warrnambool, Wangaratta and Fountain Gate. Victorian Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings and CEO of the Australian National... ...Read more »

A new community kitchen, which assists in boosting the number of skilled hospitality workers while also helping disadvantaged members of the community, was opened today by Victorian Premier John Brumby.The kitchen – an initiative of Youth Projects Incorporated, a not-for-profit body funded by Victorian, Commonwealth and local government grants – will provide training opportunities in hospitality and health promotion while also providing food for disadvantaged people in the local community. Mr... ...Read more »

Melbourne will take centre stage at the world’s largest and longest food and wine festival – the 2008 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Tim Holding, announced yesterday.Staged at the World Showcase in Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, from 26 September to 9 November 2008, the six week festival attracts the world’s largest gathering of food and wine enthusiasts. Mr Holding believes the festival presents an excellent... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today released a decision proposing to grant authorisation to the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) to conduct a four-week trial of a 10c charge for lightweight plastic shopping bags. The trial is proposed to take place at Coles Supermarkets, Woolworths Supermarkets and IGA retailers in Narre Warren, Wangaratta and Warrnambool in Victoria. The pilot program, conceived in consultation with the Victorian Government, is proposed... ...Read more »