Food business administration fee
Food businesses must pay an annual administration fee which helps recover the indirect costs associated with implementing the Food Act 2003. These include:
- newsletters or mailouts providing food safety information to food shops
- advertising, promoting and implementing new initiatives
- maintaining a food premise database
- development and delivery of training and educational materials
- involvement in any food recall activity
- negotiating with stakeholders such as solicitors, builders, shop fitters or contractors on behalf of a food business operator
- providing verbal advice on plans for new food businesses or changes to existing food businesses
- inspection of premises that have been subject of a complaint but which, upon inspection, cannot be substantiated and no inspection fee is charged against the business
- issuing letters of an advisory or warning nature
- when part or full closure of a business is required in the interests of food safety, the issuing of a Prohibition Order and the subsequent Clearance Certificate.
Failure to pay fees may result in Council working with a debt collection agency. Details may be forwarded to credit authorities in the event of non-payment.