Meeting outcomes

ISFR meeting outcomes – 3 and 4 December 2024

Summary of key discussions and outcomes from the Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) meeting held on 3 to 4 December 2024.

Overview

The Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) met via videoconference on 3 and 4 December 2024.

The ISFR aims to ensure food regulation is consistently implemented, monitored and enforced.

ISFR members:

  • are heads of agencies or senior operational experts
  • can make and implement decisions about compliance and enforcement issues in their jurisdictions.

Key discussions

The key discussions were about:

Preventing foodborne illness

  • Food Ministers have agreed that food safety remains one of the agreed new four Strategic Outcomes for the Joint Food Regulatory System (safe and suitable food; healthy food supply; informed and empowered consumers; and a thriving food economies).
  • As of December 2024, work under the Priority 1 Foodborne illness prevention Strategy continues, as protecting food safety and the consumer continues to be a priority for ISFR.
  • The Food Regulatory System is progressing the development of a Strategic Plan that will provide a framework for the four new Strategic Outcomes. The way forward for the P1 Foodborne Illness Reduction Strategy (and its projects) will be integrated as part of this process.

A focus on Campylobacterosis

  • A potential future focus area under the ‘safe and suitable food’ Strategic Outcome includes continuing to pay particular attention to reducing foodborne Campylobacter, throughout the food chain, recognised as Australia’s highest bacterial foodborne pathogen.

Implementation of new Food Standards

  • Work is underway to support the implementation of new, and updated, Primary Production and Processing standards, utilising the Integrated Model for Standards development.
  • ISFR members re-iterated their on-going commitment to the implementation of new Horticultural standards, to strengthen food safety and traceability throughout the food supply chain for the identified horticulture commodities (Melons, Leafy Vegetables and Berries), due to come into effect early 2025, noting the focus, of the ISFR Horticulture Implementation Working Group, is on the nationally-shared aspects of the implementation effort.
  • A range of tools and guidance has been developed to support affected businesses and regulators.

Local government reports

The meeting included reports on activities and key matters for local government:

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Environmental Health Officers in the ACT meet regularly to ensure consistency across food safety inspections and compliance concerns. The meetings also include implementation of standards and alignment with other jurisdictions.

New South Wales (NSW)

The NSW Food Authority partners with local councils and other agencies to monitor food safety across the food service sector. The Food Authority runs regular training for the professional development of authorised officers.

Training in 2024 has focussed on:

  • best practice when issuing improvement, prohibition and penalty notices
  • allergen labelling and information requirements on the back of recent PEAL legislation
  • a session on the recently refreshed Food Regulation Partnership guidelines and protocols.
  • Quarterly Retail Information Sessions share knowledge with local food businesses in collaboration with local councils. A very successful session with Northern Beaches Council in June 2024 was delivered to180 participants. In September 2024, a collaboration with Dubbo Regional Council had 70 registrants attend. The next session is in Yass in February 2025.

NSW continues to explore the creation of a shared food inspection data platform.

Northern Territory (NT)

The Environmental Health Leadership Group meets quarterly and consists of key personnel from the Environmental Health strategy and operations units. The meeting includes discussion on standards implementation and national considerations.

Queensland (QLD)

The 2023-24 financial year annual reporting of local government activities under the Food Act 2006 is currently being finalised and is anticipated to be released by the end of 2024. An interactive dashboard will also be available which comprises visual representations of the main findings and trends in local government activities, as well as an interactive map that displays the reported data for each local government.

South Australia (SA)

SA Health continues to work with local government as regulators of food businesses. This has included:

  • providing advice on the Food Safety Supervisor requirements in Standard 3.2.2A
  • facilitating Food Business Risk Classification and Risk Based Inspection training
  • presenting at the 43rd Environmental Health Australia state conference convening the annual Food Safety Auditor Forum.

Tasmania (TAS)

Department of Health Tasmania and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania continue to work with local government as co-regulators in the food regulation system. The main collaborations for this reporting period were continuing to apply Standard 3.2.2A, which was introduced in Tasmania in December 2023.

Victoria (VIC)

Health Regulator will establish regular seminars with local councils to further develop and enhance compliance with the regulatory framework.

The FoodTrader platform is operating for temporary and mobile food premises. Councils are expressing concerns about functionality issues. There is no current development of the application for fixed food premises due to budget constraints.

Western Australia (WA)

WA Health acknowledges the ongoing regulatory food safety activities undertaken by WA local governments.

To support these activities WA Health:

  • publishes a monthly newsletter covering topics of interest for Local Government including food safety related information
  • is compiling 2023 to 2024 financial year reporting of local government activities under the Food Act 2008
  • is supporting local government to prepare for the implementation of the Primary Production and Processing Standards for Horticulture. Activities since the start of the year have included:
    • training EHOs in horticulture food safety risks
    • development of templates, tools and resources to support consistent implementation of the horticulture standards.

New Zealand (NZ)

MPI’s New Zealand Food Safety is on track to put in place all remaining services and systems needed by the Food Act 2014. Once complete:

  • the Food Act 2014 will be aligned with the New Zealand Food Control System.
  • we will be meeting the aims of the Food Act 2014.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

FSANZ reported it continues to support the Food Regulation System priorities through its work on addressing foodborne illness through data collection and analysis, and development of standards and non-regulatory tools. Work included:

  • a minor update to Safe Food Australia
  • publication of the ISFR endorsed Safe Horticulture Australia to support the three new primary production and processing standards for berries, leafy vegetables and melons.

Work continues on:

  • Proposal P1060 Review of the Egg Primary Production and Processing Standard
  • Health Star Rating system
  • Branded Food Database
  • FSANZ modernisation

New work started includes:

  • a review of incidences of campylobacteriosis and response
  • preliminary analysis of local council compliance data in food service businesses with Standard 3.3.2
  • data on food related anaphylaxis to inform a review of allergen management requirements by food service businesses.

Next meeting

The ISFR will meet again in the first half of 2025.

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