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| Food Regulation Partnership
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Food Regulation Partnership
Amendments to the Food Act 2003 (NSW) and Food Regulation 2004 enabled the new Food Regulation Partnership from 1 January 2008.
The changes will:
- clarify the responsibilities of local government in relation to food regulation
- improve food safety coordination between councils and the Authority in several areas, including food inspections
- enable quicker responses to food emergencies and food recalls, as well as
- enable all councils to recover the costs of food regulation enforcement, as well as
- establish a food regulation forum for consultation
see also: Impact of new laws summary for stakeholders
Supporting councils
The Food Regulation Partnership model includes a proposal to establish a comprehensive program to support and assist council roles in food regulation by the NSW Food Authority. In the meantime the Authority supports councils by:
- facilitating 16 regional food surveillance network groups (listed below)
- convening a Statewide Regulatory Liaison Group
- publishing monthly newsletters on food safety and foodborne illness
- providing technical advice; and
- establishing an individual contacts database for rapidly disseminating information.
The regional food surveillance network groups meet approximately quarterly. Meetings include approximately 2 hour training sessions. Training session topics in 2005 have included Food Act Enforcement, Food Act Seizures and Doner kebab shop inspections. Future sessions on Temperature control, Foodborne illness and Labelling are planned.
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Evolution
The Section 73 Review (pdf, 1.63 MB) conducted by The Hon. John Kerin, which recommended the establishment of the Authority, also recommended that the NSW Government explore with Local Government, implementation of a model which would better define and resource council roles in food regulation In mid-2003, a Steering Committee was established, with representation by the Authority, Department of Local Government, NSW Health, the Local Government Association of NSW, the Shires Association of NSW, the Australian Institute of Environmental Health and the Development and Environmental Professionals Association.
The Steering Committee took a consultative approach to designing new arrangements. In November 2003 general directions were proposed and in October 2004 an Issues and Options Paper was released which addressed the issues of defining roles, funding, coordination arrangements and support and assistance by the NSW Food Authority for councils. Stakeholder feedback about the Issues and Options Paper was used to prepare a blueprint for a partnership between Local and State Government. The blueprint was published in April 2005 as an Exposure Draft to provide the opportunity for further stakeholder input. The blueprint was finalised in October 2005. In June 2006 the State Government allocated $1.6M for the 06/07 year to support implementation of the blueprint.
Identity launched
Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald and Cowra Mayor Cr Bruce Miller unveil the new Food Regulation Partnership logo at the Food Authority's annual stakeholder event in Sydney in December 2006. The partnership will enable the Food Authority and local councils to work even closer together to help keep food safe across NSW.
Also on this site
- Impact of new laws summary for stakeholders
- Food Regulation guide part 1 responsibilities, administration, support (pdf, 1.6 MB)
- New food law news 24 December 2007
- New partnership improves food safety in NSW media release 24 October 2007
- $1.6m initiative to boost food safety media release 28 July 2006
- NSW Food Regulation Partnership: A Blueprint, October 2005 PDF 1.05 MB
- NSW Food Regulation Partnership: A Exposure Draft, April 2005 PDF 1.1 MB
- Food Regulation Partnership Issues and Options Paper PDF 780 KB
- Towards a strong food regulation partnership: A Directions Paper for State and Local Government, November 2003 PDF 457 KB
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