Making and selling food carries responsibilities for ensuring it is safe to eat and free of contamination. Local government has a legislated role through the Food Act (1984) to register food businesses in Victoria.  Councils charge a fee for registering food businesses and the registration must be renewed each year.

Council Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) play an important role in ensuring effective food safety management practices in the community. Their role involves:

• Conducting inspections of food premises as part of the registration process
• Assessing and monitoring food safety compliance
• Assisting business to satisfy the legal requirements of running a food premise
• Undertaking sampling of food items. 

The role of the MAV is to provide advocacy on behalf of Victoria’s 79 councils on the roles and responsibilities assigned by the Victorian Government.

Local government does not have the power to set the provisions of the Food Act 1984 as this is a matter for the Victorian Parliament.  The MAV undertakes advocacy on behalf of local government to ensure its interests are taken into account when legislative changes are proposed by the Victorian Government.

A joint Department of Human Services / MAV Food Safety Coordination Project commenced in November 2006 to strengthen the capacity of local government to meet its statutory requirements under the Food Act 1984. 

The Project is focussing on three areas:

• Statutory and administrative improvements
• Performance reporting
• Workforce enabling.

The Department of Human Services is providing funding to the MAV to coordinate the DHS/MAV Food Safety Coordination Project to develop a response to the 2002 and 2005 Auditor General’s reports into food safety and a Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission report in 2005.

Websites

Food Safety Unit website

This section of the Department of Human Services (DHS) website provides a variety of information resources relating to food safety for use by businesses and the community
www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety/index.htm

Publications

Food Safety Legislation – Update June 2009
Download summary for councillors File size: 85 KB
Download Members Brief File size: 207 KB

Templink - Discussion  Paper Single Registration & Notification Central Database of Temporary & Mobile Food Premises  (July 2008)
Download the Templink Paper File size: 159 KB

MAV Members Brief - MAV Food Safety Coordination Project (June 2008)
Download the Members Brief File size: 47 KB

MAV Submission to the VCEC Inquiry into Food Draft Regulations Report (June 2007)
Download MAV Submission VCEC Inquiry into Food Draft Regulations Report File size: 976 KB

MAV Submission to the VCEC Inquiry into Food Regulation (Dec 2006)
 Download MAV Submission VCEC Inquiry into Food Regulation File size: 1.2 MB

So, you want to run a food business? A guide for Victorians (Jan 2004)

This brochure produced by the DHS Food Safety Unit provides a brief overview of the requirements of running a food business in Victoria.

 Download So, you want to run a food business? A guide for Victorians File size: 84 KB

Memorandum of Understanding - Victorian Food Safety Framework (Oct 2004)

This document clarifies the role and responsibilities of Victorian councils, PrimeSafe and Dairy Food Safety Victoria in respect of the businesses they administer for food safety purposes.

 Download the MoU - Victorian Food Safety File size:  1.1 MB