Stakeholder engagement as a
priority for enabling regulation
• We are a bi-national statutory agency
• Our main function is to develop and
administer the Australia New Zealand
Food Standards Code
• Not responsible for enforcement
ABOUT US
Policy Forum on Food
Regulation
(ministers)
FOOD REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
Standards setting FSANZ
Enforcement States and
territories,
NZ MPI
DAFF (imported
foods)
THE FOOD STANDARDS CODE
• Labelling
requirements
• Substances
added to foods
• Maximum
residue limits
• GM foods
• Compositional
requirements
for specific
foods
• Food safety
requirements
for food
handlers
• Australia only
• Standards for
agricultural
commodities
• Australia only
IN DEVELOPING MEASURES CONSIDERATION
IS GIVEN TO:
Protection of public health and safety
Providing adequate information to consumers
Preventing misleading and deceptive conduct
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT −THE “GAPS”,
OR IMPEDIMENTS?????
• All quiet on the western front
• Resources
• Timing
• Chefs
SILENCE ISN’T GOLDEN
All quiet……..
Resources restricted and getting worse
Need to get smarter about how we do things
Start talking early…..everyone
RESOURCES AND TIMING
TOO MANY (A LOT OF) CHEFS?
A long and winding road… health claims
A CASE STUDY
Complex project
Eight years
Six rounds consultation
>500 submissions
THE JOURNEY
2003 Policy guidance
2008 draft Standard (self substantiation)
review request
2010 consultation pre-approval
2012 draft Standard
(pre-approval and self
substantiation)
The health claims standards has been
gazetted what now….
A continuous and responsive environment
The cooks…
THE NEVER ENDING STORY?
Continuous improvement
Innovation
What works?
Keep the baby!
COMMUNICATING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS INTO THE FUTURE
RESPONSIVE
Direct contact
Newsletters
Face-to-face
OLD SCHOOL
INTO THE FUTURE
“All stakeholders in the joint food regulation system
should commit to improving the quality of
engagement. Stakeholders should provide each
other with timely, constructive and evidence-based
information and be accepting of differing positions.”
Find the strategy under about us at
www.foodstandards.gov.au
ALL IN…
> maintain our open and transparent approach
> explore new ways to capture and recognise
stakeholder views
> enhance the understanding of our role including our
boundaries
> continue to improve the accessibility of our
information
SOME PRIORITIES
