Who will the food safety reforms affect?

Page contents: Sharing responsibility | Food premises & community groups

Sharing responsibility

Responsibility for food safety is shared between national, state and local government. The changes to the Food Act build on this sound foundation and will promote greater consistency in the administration of the Act at the local level.

The Department of Health will publish a range of guidance materials and make training available to assist councils to administer the changes to the Act.

In turn, council support for food premises, to assist them to understand and comply with their obligations, will remain a priority.

For the changes to be effective, everyone – including food safety regulators, food proprietors, food service workers and consumers – has a part to play.

Food premises and community groups

The changes will affect food businesses, facilities serving food to vulnerable groups, and community groups, for example:

• Proprietors and staff of food businesses (e.g. Victoria’s 45,000 plus supermarkets, restaurants and mobile and temporary premises and not-for-profit enterprises) who handle or sell food.
• Aged care facilities, childcare centres and hospitals serving food exclusively to service users who are more vulnerable to food poisoning because of their age or state of health.
• Community groups that handle food for sale at community events and fundraisers.

Information explaining the changes in more detail will be provided to councils, businesses and community groups prior to the changes coming into effect.

Until then, food premises and councils should continue with their current arrangements.

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