Timetable for proposed changes

Staged implementation

The changes to the Act will take effect in three distinct phases between 1 July 2010 and mid-2011.

This is to ensure that all steps necessary to implement each initiative are put in place before the relevant change is legally binding. It will allow time for guidance materials and training for councils and businesses to be arranged. It will also give local government, food businesses and community organisations sufficient time to adopt the changes.

It is expected that the new classes of food premises, together with the associated changes to regulatory requirements, will come into effect on 1 July 2010 (Phase 1).

For instance, these changes will apply from that date to food premises that:

• are already registered, or
• apply for registration.

More information will be provided to councils, businesses and community groups prior to this time, explaining the changes in more detail.

Until then, food premises and councils should continue with their current arrangements. This means that until further advice, food premises applying for registration or renewal of registration should do so under the existing processes.

Many of the other legislative changes depend on the main changes to food premises classification being in place, or require other implementation measures to be taken. Accordingly, the remaining changes will come into operation from 1 July 2010, or in early 2011 (Phase 2) or mid-2011 (Phase 3).

In summary, the following changes will commence operation by 1 July 2010:

• the mechanisms to establish the proposed food premises classification system and the new regulatory requirements;
• the voluntary recognition by councils of registration of food vans or stalls registered by another council (pending the mandatory statewide scheme which will replace it on 1 July 2011);
• the register of Food Act convictions;
• new provisions on temporary closure of food premises;
• clarification of the roles of department and councils; and
• provisions to establish a system for councils to report data about their administration of the Act to the department. (This will be subject to further consultation with local government about when the reporting would start).

The following changes will commence operation by 1 March 2011:

• enabling enforceable undertakings for certain breaches;
• infringement offences; and
• new food sampling requirements.

The following changes will commence operation by 1 July 2011:

• single (mandatory) statewide registration of food vans and market stalls;
• new requirements for private water carters to register under this statewide scheme.

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