How To: Make a Submission to the Food Irradiation Labelling Review

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FSANZ has now published its “consultation paper” and is inviting public input through an online questionnaire. Submissions are due by March 29. You can read the official documents here:
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/review/Pages/Labelling-review-recommendation-34irradiation-labelling.aspx

Making a submission is easy:

  • You can read up on food irradiation and the labelling review process here, then
  • You can use the Do Gooder Label all irradiated foods! campaign page to automatically forward your response to all relevant ministers. Use the sample letter or type your own personal response, and/or
  • You can make your own submission from scratch using our Sample Letter (doc or pdf) and following these guidelines for preparing and sending, and/or
  • You can make online submissions here. If making an online submission, you can use this document to review sample answers to the 24 questions

Please take the time to fill out the Do Gooder page. Feel free to use the sample letter in your comment in whole or part.  If sending your own submission, also send a copy to your state or territory’s representative on the Food Ministerial Council (contact details can be found below). Each state or territory’s representative has the power to approve or block regulatory decisions.

Below are some points you might want to include:

  • Despite their appearance, irradiated fruits and vegetables are processed, not fresh.
  • As irradiation is invisible, without labelling, consumers will have no way to discern whether or not a product has been irradiated. Consumers will be misled into believing irradiated food is fresh or unprocessed.
  • Consumers have strong opinions on irradiated produce and expect it to be labelled.
  • Irradiation is still a new technology with a limited history of safe use in the human food supply.
  • Removal of labelling will disadvantage non-irradiating producers and people who choose to eat irradiation-free.
  • FSANZ and food producers are aware of consumer resistance to irradiated food.
  • Removing labelling to boost sales of irradiated food would be deceitful.
  • Australian & New Zealand labelling requirements already fall short of global standards.
  • Labelling requirements should be strengthened to meet global standards & address community concern. At a minimum, labelling should include prescribed words: “irradiated” or “treated with irradiation”
  • FSANZ should not be considering regulatory changes to intentionally decrease public awareness about an issue.

These articles provide a comprehensive overview of the issues listed above:

Your submission should include:

  • the number or name of the application or proposal: Labelling review recommendation 34 – irradiation labelling
  • your name and contact details including: position, address, telephone number, fax and email address
  • for organisations, the level at which the submission was authorised.

Where to send your submission:

Send your letter/submission to: submissions@foodstandards.gov.au.
In Subject line, please write: RE: Labelling review recommendation 34 – irradiation labelling

It’s strongly advisable to also send your submission to the federal and relevant state ministers who sit on the Food Regulations Ministerial Council federal and your relevant state Ministers.  See below for  a complete listing and contact details.

Food regulations Ministerial Council – Complete address list

Food regulations must pass through the Ministerial Council before becoming law. Each state has at least one STATE MP on the Council. Let the ministers and decision makers know how you feel about irradiation labeling to help make a decision in favour of shoppers’ rights. Please send your message to your state or territory’s members as well as federal reps.

Membership of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (the Forum) Membership of the Forum comprises a Minister from New Zealand and Health Ministers from Australian States and Territories, the Australian Government, as well as other Ministers from related portfolios (Primary Industries, Consumer Affairs etc) where these have been nominated by their jurisdictions. This ensures a whole-of-food chain approach to food regulation.

Australian Government:
Senator the Hon Fiona Nash MP
Assistant Minister for Health Federal
PO Box 6100, Senate Parliament House,
Canberra ACT 2600
minister.nash@health.gov.au

Hon Barnaby Joyce, MP
Minister for Agriculture
PO Box 6022, House of Representatives
Parliament House Canberra, ACT 2600
minister@maff.gov.au

New Zealand:
Hon Jo Goodhew
Minister for Food Safety
Private Bag 18888
Parliament Buildings
Wellington 6160
jo.goodhew@parliament.govt.nz

ACT:
Mr Simon Corbell
Minister for Health
ACT Legislative Assembly
GPO Box 1020
Canberra, ACT 2601
P: (02) 6205 0000
E: corbell@act.gov.au

NSW:
The Hon Niall Blair, MLC
Minister for Primary Industries
Parliament House
Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000
P: (02) 9230 2467
E: niall.blair@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mrs Jillian Skinner, MP
Minister for Health
PO Box 5341, Sydney NSW 2001
office@skinner.minister.nsw.gov.au

NT:
Lead Minister:
The Hon John Elferink, MLA
Minister for Health
GPO Box 3146
Darwin NT 0801
Telephone: 08 8928 6615
Email: Minister.Elferink@nt.gov.au

QLD:
Lead Minister:
The Hon Cameron Dick, MP
Minister for Health
Level 19, State Health Building
147-163 Charlotte Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000
Phone: (07) 3035 6100
Email: health@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Email: Woodridge@parliament.qld.gov.au

The Hon Leanne Donaldson, MP
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
Level 8, Primary Industries Building, 80 Ann Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000
Phone: (07) 3719 7560
Email: agriculture@ministerial.qld.gov.au
E: Bundaberg@parliament.qld.gov.au

Useful all Qld members mailing lists:
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/current/mailing-lists

SA:
Hon Jack Snelling, MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
PO Box 2555 Adelaide SA 5001
minister.health@health.sa.gov.au

Hon Leon Bignell, MP
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
PO Box 1671 Adelaide SA 5001
minister.bignell@sa.gov.au

TAS:
Hon Michael Ferguson, MP
Minister for Health
Level 4, Reserve Bank Building
111 Macquarie Street, Hobart 7000
michael.ferguson@parliament.tas.gov.ua

VIC:
The Hon Jill Hennessy, MP
Minister for Health
Level 22, 50 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9096 8561
Email: minister.health@health.vic.gov.au
Email: jill.hennessy@parliament.vic.gov.au

The Hon Jaala Pulford, MLC
Minister for Agriculture
Level 16, 8 Nicholson Street
East Melbourne, VIC 3002
Phone (03) 9637 9940
Email jaala.pulford@parliament.vic.gov.au

WA:
Hon Dr Kim Hames, MLA MBBS, JP
Minister for Health
PO Box 5551 Falcon WA 6210
kim.hames@mp.wa.gov.au

Hon Ken Baston, MLC
Minister for Agriculture and Food
PO Box 1452, Broome WA 6725
ken.baston@mp.wa.gov.au

Australian Local Government Association:
Mayor Troy Pickard
President
City of Joondalup
90 Boas Avenue Joondalup WA 6027
T: 08 9400 4450
Email: troy.pickard@joondalup.wa.gov.au

To get involved in the campaign to ensure that irradiated food is labelled:

Email: foodirradiationwatch@yahoo.com.au
Website: www.foodirradiationwatch.org
LIKE us on FB: https://www.facebook.com/notofoodirradiation/?fref=nf

Posted in Labelling Review 2016