Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I move Democrats amendment (1) on sheet 5250:

(1)    Schedule 1, page 7 (after line 34), after item 18, insert:

18A  After section 9

Insert:

9AA Matters that must be included in standards

        (1)    The Authority must develop a standard for a simplified nutrition front-of-pack labelling scheme that:

             (a)    provides separate information on the nutrient content of a product being each of the fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt content of a product;

             (b)    uses red, amber or green colour coding to indicate the content level of nutrients mentioned in paragraph (a) in the product where a high level of nutrients is indicated by the colour red, a medium level of nutrients is indicated by the colour amber and a low level of nutrients is indicated by the colour green;

             (c)    uses nutritional criteria developed by the Authority to determine the colour code including a method of linking the colour code to specific levels of nutrients; and

             (d)    gives information on the levels of nutrients mentioned in paragraph (a) contained per portion of product.

        (2)    For the purpose of this section, front-of-pack labelling means a display of printed information:

             (a)    on or attached to the goods;

             (b)    on or attached to a container or primary package in which the goods are supplied.

        (3)    The standard required by subsection (1) must be implemented before the expiration of 3 months after the Food Regulation Standing Committee Front-of-Pack Labelling Working Group reports to the Council.

This puts in place a system of labelling for food which is commonly known as the ‘traffic light system’—that is, a system of labelling which essentially identifies those foods that are high in salt, in fats and in sugar. This is in response to a very serious problem Australia faces—that is, obesity. Australia has one of the highest rates of child obesity in the world. It seems to us, and to many others that we speak with—physicians and parents and people who are interested in turning around this very serious problem in this country—that one of the issues associated with obesity is lack of information about what exactly is in the foods that are purchased so that ignorance on the part of people is not entirely up to them to solve. This is why we suggest introducing a labelling system that would assist people—assist parents and assist children—to understand the implications of the foods they eat and to allow them to make healthy choices so that we can avoid some of the serious problems which are facing our health system and our young people right now.

It is also critical at a time when you could argue that genetic engineering, intensive farming and highly processed food are more available than at any time in the past. A wide array of highly processed cereals presents itself in every supermarket to mum or dad or whoever it is who goes shopping with the kids. It can be quite difficult to figure out what is good for you and what is not. We know that the current system of labelling on foods is difficult to understand. If you have not brought your glasses with you to the supermarket, it can be difficult to even read it. Sometimes it is so hidden on the back of the product that you cannot find it anyway.

We have done quite a lot of work to investigate what a system that would overcome that might be, and we believe that it is appropriate for the authority to develop, as the amendment says:

... a standard for a simplified nutrition front-of-pack labelling scheme that:

(a) provides separate information on the nutrient content of a product being each of the fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt content of a product—

and—

(b) uses red, amber or green colour coding to indicate the content level of nutrients mentioned.

And, where there is a high level of nutrients, that is:

... indicated by ... red, a medium level ... is indicated by ... amber and a low level of nutrients ... is indicated by the colour green.

We believe that would go a long way to assisting to provide information to consumers about exactly what they are buying and how good or otherwise it is for their health.

It is quite interesting that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing had a launch just last month of a 155-page guide to explain food labels. That is an indication that the system that we have at the present time is not working. I really cannot see people going to the supermarket with the 155-page booklet, trying to figure out what is good for you and what is not. Not only is the booklet 155 pages long but it costs $14.95, so we expect people to purchase this great document and turn up and be informed about what to eat.

The labelling system at the present time tells us something of what the ingredients are in a given product, but it does not tell us the much more essential information that we now know is necessary. So I strongly suggest that we move towards a system which is now recommended. I understand that the United Kingdom and other countries are moving in this direction, so it is not a new concept. It has been tried and tested elsewhere. I can assure you, Parliamentary Secretary, that parents, in particular, are crying out for such a scheme. It would assist enormously in informing both them and their children about what is safe and good to eat.