Source: Ministry for Primary Industries
Closing Date:
Contact: Food Regulation Modernisation Team (Australia)
Have your say
In November 2019, the Australia New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation endorsed a plan to reform the binational food regulation system to ensure it remains strong, robust, and agile into the future.
One of the projects under the planned reform aims to identify areas of inconsistency in food regulatory approaches across jurisdictions (jurisdictional consistency).
Public feedback is now being sought on inconsistency within the joint food regulation system and the associated impacts on businesses. This is an opportunity for industry, government, and others to provide direct feedback about areas of inconsistency or duplication that have the ability to undermine food safety objectives or otherwise disadvantage or impose an unnecessary regulatory burden on businesses.
Feedback is sought from stakeholders with experience of inconsistent regulation implementation and enforcement as part of food trade between New Zealand and Australia.
Making your submission
Submissions are open from 6 November to 18 December 2020.
Information on making submissions is on the Australian Department of Health website.
Consistency of food regulatory approaches – Department of Health (Australia)
Background to the wider review of the food regulation system
New Zealand and Australia have a unique shared regulatory system that sees us jointly developing food composition and labelling policy and standards. This is based on the 1995 Food Treaty we have with Australia and has led to joint initiatives, such as our Health Star Rating System.
In addition to the jurisdictional consistency, 3 other projects are being progressed under the ambitious plan to reform the binational food regulatory system.
Notably, this includes a comprehensive review of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act review). Feedback has also been sought on a scoping paper for the FSANZ Act review. Submissions on that review close on 16 November 2020.
Find out about the review of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991
Next steps
You can keep informed about future consultations on the Food Regulation Australia website:
Food regulation in Australia and New Zealand
Who to contact
If you have any questions about this consultation or the broader reform agenda, or if you wish to subscribe for updates, email FoodRegulationModernisation@health.gov.au
You may contact MPI directly with any questions on New Zealand’s role in the joint system, email transtasman@mpi.govt.nz
Find out more
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Australia-New Zealand cooperation and the Food Treaty
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 – Federal Register of Legislation (Australia)
