Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Amendment Bill 2010. The issue of food standards in Australia is obviously a significant concern, and we understand that the government is currently undertaking a process of review of food labelling in Australia under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act. We are waiting for the report of the inquiry that the government has commissioned which is due to be handed to the ministerial council, as I understand it, in December of this year and then on to COAG next year.

The issue of labelling under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand process is of significant concern in regional communities. There is a large concern amongst growers in particular that identification of product and its providence be accurately provided. In fact, last week I was talking to a group of fishermen in Northern Queensland who are very concerned about how their products are managed and labelled through the restaurant process. We recognise and acknowledge the labelling that has been provided for all fresh vegetables, fish, fruit and nuts and those sorts of things through the supermarkets and I think that is recognised by the producers as having had a positive impact on their products. We look forward to a continuation of the process through the mechanisms the government currently has in place and the fruition of those through the ministerial council and COAG process into next year.