Chief Minister Gallagher is reacting to the latest salmonella outbreak with new laws for the naming of troubled eateries.
“Over the past year the Health Directorate has seen an increase in the number of businesses failing to comply with the required food standards. Action has been taken against these businesses, including referring matters to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“Although ACT food businesses have a strong history of compliance in food standards, the Government is proposing this Bill to address emerging knowledge gaps in food safety by requiring businesses to have suitably trained food safety supervisors at premises,” she said.
“The Bill also amends the Food Act 2001 to increase food safety and transparency by requiring businesses to display their current registration certificates so that members of the public can be assured that the business is registered.
“Closure notices will also have to be displayed at the entrance of a food business served with a prohibition order.
“Finally, the Bill proposes an amendment that will allow the names of food businesses convicted of an offence against the Food Act to be placed on a publicly available register.
“Together these amendments should enhance food safety, increase food regulation transparency and assist in reducing the social and economic costs of food borne illnesses,” the Chief Minister said.
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I’d like to think she read my comment yesterday but I won’t hold my breath:
“Hurry up Gallagher and make the name of this business and others who receive notices public.”
In any case, I’d like to see absolutely any business issued with a warning or notice to be named, like in NSW where they have a dual register of those convicted and those notified. I think the ACT proposal will fall short in only naming those who are convicted.
In NSW, a lot of big name chains appear on the register for minor incursions, but given the number of customers, even those minor incursions have significant potential for harm.
Erg0 said :
Ewwwww!
“Finally, the Bill proposes an amendment that will allow the names of food businesses convicted of an offence against the Food Act to be placed on a publicly available register.”
When did publicising the names of convicted businesses stop anyway? I remember decades ago reading in the paper that a specific local restaurant was in trouble for having a broken flyscreen door at the back of the kitchen.
Sad that it took people ending up in hospital for the government to decide they need to make some progress with an issue that has been around for a while.
Hang on… are you telling me that having “suitably trained food safety supervisors at premises” isn’t currently a requirement?