Page 742 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 1990
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Food Legislation
MRS NOLAN: My question is again to the Minister for Education, Health and the Arts. Is the Minister aware that the Federal Minister for Consumer Affairs has criticised the ACT Government for the lack of food legislation in the ACT and what is this Government doing about it?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mrs Nolan for her question. Yes, I am aware of comments made by the Federal Minister for Consumer Affairs; although I have not heard them directly or seen any report of them directly, I have had them related to me. The Government does acknowledge at the outset that food legislation in the ACT is seriously deficient. There is no doubt about that whatsoever. The ACT is the only State or Territory in Australia not to have introduced food legislation in line with the national - - -
Ms Follett: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I would refer you to standing order 118B. It seems to me that the answer to Mrs Nolan's question could be yes or no, but clearly the Minister is debating the subject.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, further to the point of order, Mrs Nolan asked me the Government's intentions in this regard and I am clearly relating those intentions.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you. Please proceed, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, we are the only State not to introduce food legislation in line with the National Health and Medical Research Council's model food code. It is the Government's intention to bring that legislation into line with other States and Territories. We have been developing legislation, following initiatives taken by the previous Follett Government, to remedy this omission. We will address issues such as food hygiene, food content, packaging, labelling and food building construction.
As I said, I did not actually hear the comments by Senator Bolkus directly, but I am aware of his attack on the ACT for not having that legislation in place. I am extremely disappointed in his attitude of using the ACT, and particularly ACT self-government, as a whipping boy for the failures of his own Government in the ACT.
For years prior to self-government, the Federal Labor Government promised to introduce updated legislation to improve food standards in the ACT but, unfortunately, those promises were never met. For six years the Hawke Government had control of public health regulations in the ACT.
Ms Follett: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, again, I refer you to standing order 118B. Mr Humphries was asked whether he was aware, yes or no, and what were his intentions. He is now debating the matter well beyond the terms of the question.
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