Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council
Members of the Ministerial council
The Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (ANZFRMC) set policy guidelines for the development of food standards by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. It will do this based on advice from the Food Regulation Standing Committee, which comprises senior government officials from the Commonwealth, New Zealand, the States and the Territories. The Ministerial Council will also consult with stakeholders on the development of policy guidelines. FSANZ is an observer at the Ministerial Council meetings regulatory arrangements have undergone significant change due to the signing of the 2000 Inter-Governmental Agreement on food.
Under these new arrangements, development of policy in relation to food standards is the responsibility of the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (ANZFRMC), under advice from a Standing Committee of officials. State, Territory and New Zealand Health Ministers are lead members of ANZFRMC, the Chair of which is the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing. In practice, the Minister delegates this responsibility to the Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
The responsibility for developing food standards sits with FSANZ, which also formally develops and review amendments to the Food Standards Code and decides on the adoption of those standards. It must notify its decisions to members of ANZFRMC. Ministers have a power to refer back to FSANZ any newly adopted standard, for review. The chart summarises this process.
Formal meetings of ANZFRMC usually only take place once or twice each year and are organised by the Food Regulation Secretariat.
The Ministerial Council has also established some other committees to assist in its tasks. These are the Food Regulation Secretariat, Food Regulation Standing Committee, the Implementation Sub Committee.
Once the Ministerial Council has decided on policy guidelines, these will be published on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand websiteand the Department of Health and Ageing website www.foodsecretariat.health.gov.au.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand must have regard to the Ministerial policy guidelines when it develops or reviews food standards. Food Standards Australia New Zealand will not be required to consult on these policy guidelines, nor consider their regulatory impacts, but will automatically implement them in its work.