Sydney restaurant to pay $12,000 fine for “serious” food safety breaches
A Chinese restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne has been fined over $12,000 for filthy premises.North Sydney Council successfully prosecuted the Canton BBQ House on Military Road for five serious breaches of food laws in May last year.
“This is yet another example of councils acting appropriately to safeguard consumers,” NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said. “I congratulate councils for taking on their new responsibilities as food safety regulators, obliging them to report fines and prosecutions to the NSW Food Authority.”
Magistrate Haskett heard in the Downing Centre Local Court that defendants Stanley and Paula Lui plead guilty to five offences under the Food Act of:
* Storing uncovered food on a cool room floor
* Waste build up in cool room
* Dirty food preparation area and cooking equipment
* Poor repair of food storage area
* Allowing vermin to enter premises
The Court heard that, since the council inspection, repairs had been done to the restaurant and all faults have been fixed.
Last year the NSW Government began ‘naming and shaming’ all businesses issued penalty notices for breaches of food safety laws. Previously, only detais of food outlets that had been successfully prosecuted could be publicly listed on the NSW Food Authority website.
“The message is getting out to food businesses: if you do the wrong thing you’ll be caught, fined and face the prospect of public shaming,” Mr Macdonald said. “So not only are food outlets going to cop a big fine for poor behaviour, but they’ll also risk condemnation from the public.”
