New WA food labelling laws have financial ramifications for local government

The proposed June 8 rollout of WA’s new food labelling laws is causing some angst. Mayor of Fremantle, Peter Tagliaferri says “No consideration has been given to either the legal or financial ramifications for local councils.”

He observes that “It’s completely naive of the State Government to think we can suddenly absorb this added cost – at the very least we will need extra officers to deal with the added workload, not to mention the expertise to ensure adequate enforcement…There’s been no mention of who does the requisite testing, nor how far the laws will extend and does it apply to all containers arriving in the port? Will all those foodstuffs have to be checked?”

“The lack of consultation with local governments and how they might ensure a smooth transition to these new legislative requirements is simply outrageous” he concludes.