Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

The government appreciates the intent of Senator Xenophon's Food Standards (Fish Labelling) Bill 2015 for food sold in fish and chip shops and restaurants. We recognise that consumers do want to know the origin of their food. We also recognise that Senator Xenophon is very passionate about country of origin through his work on the RRAT Committee inquiry into seafood labelling and acknowledge the hard work of the RRAT Committee members during the inquiry process. The government takes matters of food regulation very seriously, and that is why the government cannot support Senator Xenophon's bill. This is because (a) the Commonwealth parliament has limited legislative powers in the area of food regulation, which may constrain the effectiveness of such a bill; and (b) the bill suggests an approach contrary to the legislative consultative process currently provided for in the FSANZ Act. Although standards may be developed by FSANZ, their development and enforcement is undertaken in collaboration between, and relying on, state and territory legislation in Australia as well as the New Zealand government. FSANZ cannot approve standards. All food standards must be approved through consensus of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation. No jurisdiction can direct Food Standards ANZ to develop a standard; jurisdictions can, however, ask for a review of existing standards. That is why the government is unable to support Senator Xenophon's bill.