Page 4187 - Week 13 - Thursday, 27 November 2014
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In relation to multiyear registration, a further regulatory reform measure covers the provision of multiyear registrations. Currently, food business registration is for one year, with renewals granted annually. This amendment will allow registrations to cover a period of up to three years, again reducing the administrative burden on business. Alongside this red tape reduction, the government will remove the fee that currently applies to food businesses when updating their details with ACT Health.
In relation to the food safety supervisor exemption, and this is again seeking to build greater flexibility in our food regulation system, the bill proposes a new power for the Minister for Health to exempt a food business from the requirement to appoint a food safety supervisor.
Since September 2013, registered food businesses have been required to appoint a food safety supervisor with advanced training in food-handling practices. A recent survey of food businesses undertaken by the Health Protection Service found that the vast majority of respondents agreed that having a food safety supervisor in their business had increased food-handling knowledge and improved food-handling techniques. Whilst food safety supervisors are clearly providing real benefits in many food businesses, there may be some situations in which the requirement is disproportionate to the public health risks it seeks to address. This amendment will provide the flexibility to remove this requirement on a case-by-case basis.
In terms of the changes relating specifically to community organisations, we acknowledge that community organisations make a significant contribution to the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of the ACT. These organisations deliver services for the benefit of community members, not for the purpose of generating a profit. Many community organisations raise funds through the sale of food at places such as weekend stalls and barbecues staffed by volunteers. For many such organisations, food activities are not their core business but are occasional endeavours set up to raise funds; having to devote resources towards meeting the complex requirements of food regulation that is designed for ongoing food businesses is an unnecessary distraction from their core activities.
Following the introduction of the food safety supervisor scheme last year, community concerns were raised about the burden of food regulation imposed on these organisations. Many community organisations were inadvertently caught up in these requirements. The government listened to the concerns in this area, and we responded to them. In November last year I announced the exemption for these organisations that sold low risk foods at temporary fundraising food stalls. In this bill, our response goes further.
The bill proposes to remove all requirements of the Food Act from non-profit community organisations when selling food for fundraising purposes, except at regulated events, regardless of the type of food sold.
Many healthier foods, such as salads, sandwiches and soups, require temperature control and do present higher risks of foodborne illness than foods that are barbecued immediately prior to sale. Allowing access to the exemption regardless of the type of food will make it easier to sell these healthier foods.
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