Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I can indicate to the Senate that I did direct the department to remove the website. The website had been inadvertently placed. The food ministers' forum that met last December is working on the process for the front-of-pack labelling. The health star rating is not yet in place. It would have been extremely confusing for consumers had that website been allowed to remain in place. We on this side of the chamber are not going to allow consumers to be in a position whereby they are placed in a very confusing situation.

Also, a cost-benefit analysis was agreed to unanimously by the members of the forum last December, which would take place in a more expansive way than had previously been decided, to ensure that we would have the appropriate rigour in terms of the impact on industry, and indeed the full cost-benefit analysis. That process has not yet concluded.

Unlike those on the other side of the chamber, the government are going to be rigorous in terms of the policy process and in making sure that our decision-making is formed. We think it appropriate to wait for the results of that cost-benefit analysis before moving to any further steps in the process.