Australian Government Seeks Input on Food Security Strategy, Victorian Food Safety Agency
In Australia, the Victorian Government is poised to form a new, independent food safety regulatory agency for the state. Meanwhile, the national Australian Government is developing a food security strategy and has published a discussion paper on the topic. Calls for stakeholder input are currently open for both initiatives.
A New Food Safety Agency and Legislative Framework for Victoria, Australia
The government of Victoria, Australia intends to establish a new, independent food safety regulatory agency—Food Safe Victoria—to streamline oversight and enforcement.
At present, food safety regulation in Victoria is currently delivered by Dairy Food Safety Victoria (DFSV), PrimeSafe, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (through Agriculture Victoria), the Department of Health (through the Health Regulator), and 79 local government authorities.
These regulators deliver a framework under four separate pieces of legislation: The Food Act 1984, the Meat Industry Act 1993, the Seafood Safety Act 2003, and the Dairy Act 2000.
Under the proposed reforms, the various regulatory agencies and the four legislations under which they operate will be consolidated under Safe Food Victoria and a unified legislative framework. These changes will be executed in two stages:
- Establishment of Safe Food Victoria: Safe Food Victoria will be established consolidating PrimeSafe, DFSV, and food safety functions from the Health Regulator and Agriculture Victoria. The intention is for Safe Food Victoria to be operational by mid-2026, reporting to the Minister for Agriculture.
- Development of a new, modernized framework for food safety in Victoria: This stage of reform will streamline regulatory processes and reduce red tape, ensuring greater consistency and enhanced collaboration across the supply chain. During this stage, the optimal role for local government within this system will be considered. The new framework design is expected to be finalized for introduction to Parliament in 2027.
The creation of Safe Food Victoria is in line with the Victorian Government’s Economic Growth Statement, which is committed to halving the number of business regulators across the state by 2030 to make it simpler and easier to do business in Victoria.
A public consultation and survey about Safe Food Victoria and the consolidation plan are open until October 17, 2025.
A Developing Australian Food Security Strategy
The Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF) is developing the Feeding Australia: National Food Security Strategy, which is intended to help boost the productivity, resilience, and security of the national food system.
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DAFF has released a discussion paper on the strategy and is seeking input from farmers, fishers, the food industry, and other stakeholders. Submissions are open until September 24, 2025.
“[Austrlia’s] food system is a national asset—underpinned by strong food safety and biosecurity measures,” says the call for feedback. “While Australia has a world class food system, we cannot afford to be complacent, or to ignore the new and emerging challenges facing our food and supply chains. There are also significant opportunities to drive innovation and productivity.”
