Overview
The Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR) met via videoconference on 8 and 9 May 2025.
The ISFR aims to ensure food regulation is consistently implemented, monitored and enforced.
- 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:
- Implementation of Primary Production and Processing Food Standards
- Preventing foodborne illness
- A focus on Campylobacterosis
Implementation of Primary Production and Processing Food Standards
- Work is underway to support the implementation of Proposal P1052 (Primary Production and Processing Requirements for Horticulture (Berries, Leafy Vegetables and Melons), and support the review of Proposal P1060 (Egg Food Safety and Primary Production Requirements).
Preventing foodborne illness
- Food Ministers have agreed that food safety initiatives remain a core objective of the agreed 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 May 2025, work under the foodborne illness prevention Strategy continues, as food safety and protecting 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 to begin in the coming financial year 2025/2026. The way forward for projects under the Priority 1 Foodborne Illness Reduction Strategy will be integrated as part of this process.
A focus on Campylobacterosis
- An agreed focus area under the ‘safe and suitable food’ Strategic Outcome includes continuing to pay particular attention to minimising Campylobacter throughout the food chain (from farm to fork), recognised as Australia’s highest (and most costly) bacterial foodborne pathogen.
Local government reports
The meeting included reports on activities and key matters for local government:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
- New Zealand
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
Australian Capital Territory
Environmental Health Officers meet regularly to ensure consistency across food safety inspections and compliance concerns. The meetings also include implementation of standards and alignment with other jurisdictions.
The ACT hosts and participates in the NSW Regional Food Group meeting that meets three times a year.
New South Wales
The NSW Food Authority partners with local councils and other agencies to monitor food safety across the retail food service sector.
The Food Authority runs regular training for the professional development of authorised officers. Training for Round 1 in 2025 has focussed on:
- the recently refreshed Food Regulation Partnership roles and responsibilities, guidelines and protocols.
Quarterly Retail Information Sessions share knowledge with local food businesses in collaboration with local councils. This year a successful session was held with Yass Valley Council in February 2025 with 55 participants registering. The next session will be held in June 2025 with the City of Canterbury Bankstown followed by Hornsby Shire Council in late October 2025.
NSW continues to explore the creation of a shared food inspection data platform.
Northern Territory
The Environmental Health Leadership Group meets regularly and consists of key personnel from the Environmental Health strategy and operations units. The meeting includes discussion on standards implementation and national considerations.
Queensland
The 2023-24 financial year annual reporting of local government activities under the Food Act 2006 was published in early 2025 as well as an interactive dashboard. The interactive dashboard comprises visual representations of the main findings and trends in local government activities, and an ArcGIS interactive map that displays the reported data for each local government.
South Australia
SA Health continue to work closely with local government as regulators of food businesses. This has included attending the Environmental Health Australia SA Managers’ meetings and the Food Special Interest Group meeting to share hot topics, new learnings and potential issues with environmental health managers and officers working within local councils.
Tasmania
The Department of Health and Department of Natural Resources and Environment continue to work with local government as co-regulators in the food regulation system.
Victoria
The Health Regulator has commenced 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 Health acknowledges the ongoing regulatory food safety activities undertaken by WA local governments.
To support these activities WA Health has worked closely with local governments to:
- implement the new food safety standards for horticulture.
- undertake a joint investigation of a Salmonellosis outbreak linked to an individual food business.
- complete the 2023-24 financial year reporting of local government activities under the Food Act 2008.
New Zealand
Ministry for Primary Industries New Zealand Food Safety maintains regulatory services and systems to provide ongoing information and advice to its co-regulatory partners (67 Territorial Authorities and verifiers) about exercise of powers and operational interpretation of the Food Act 2014’s requirements.
Recent local government engagements have focused on the implementation of upcoming domestic food business levy, which will take effect on 1 July 2025. Territorial Authorities will serve as the collection agency for this levy.
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:
- Proposal P1060 Review of the Egg Primary Production and Processing Standard
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
- Health Star Rating system
- Branded Food Database.
Next meeting
The ISFR will meet again on 15-16 October 2025.
Contact
If you have any queries, please contact the Food Regulation Secretariat.