The Hodgman Liberal Government’s amendments to the Food Act 2003 today passed the Legislative Council. These changes will reduce red tape and costs for mobile food business operators and councils.
As a result of our legislation, single state-wide registration will now extend to all mobile food businesses, whether they are in a trailer, tent or stall.
Prior to this, single state-wide registration was available only for mobile food businesses that were conducted ‘in a vehicle’, for example, an ice-cream van or take-away food van, with other mobile food businesses paying up to $350 for each municipality they wanted to operate in.
This small but effective amendment means that once a mobile food business registers with one council they can operate right across the State.
This is a far more equitable situation for these mobile food businesses and also eliminates unnecessary duplication of council resources.
This will not diminish food regulation standards or safety in Tasmania, indeed it is expected that the administrative burden on councils to assess and process applications will be reduced, allowing Environmental Health Officers to concentrate on compliance and inspection activities. This is a further example of the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to reducing red tape and opening Tasmania up for business.
Michael Ferguson, Minister for Health
