food labelling – a consumer’s right to know

Today saw a public hearing in Melbourne for the National Food Labelling review. The review is being undertaken by The Food Labelling Law and Policy Review Committee following on from an agreement by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council to undertake a comprehensive review of food labelling law and policy.

At the public hearing today around 50 people voiced their concerns about the lack of labelling in relation to country of origin, trans fats, food intolerances and genetically modified foods and ingredients. Consumers have a right to know what they're eating and at the moment Australia has very weak food labelling laws.

Samantha Dunn, Greg Revell & Bob Phelps from GeneEthics and Jessica Harrison from Cropwatch with Eating in the Dark protesters. Consumers are eating in the dark, we all have a right to know exactly what is in our food.

I joined with Madge members and other concerned people outside the hearing at the Eating in the Dark Rally to raise awareness about the issue of food labelling to city passerby's.

For too long there have been exemptions to food labelling. No longer can we accept this proposition, all GM ingredients must be labelled on our foods. We have the right to know where processed food ingredients are made and what is in them, particularly new and untried processed foods.

The Committee has developed an issues paper from the first round of submissions which forms the basis of current public consultation. Some of the statements within the Issues Paper are concerning.

The issues paper which forms the basis of the public consultation falsely claims that GM foods are labelled, ignoring the current exemptions that allow most foods made with GM to be unlabelled such as GM vegetable oils, starches, sugars, processing aids & additives and also exempts meat, milk, honey and eggs from animals that are fed GM feed. There is also a 1% threshold for accidental GM contamination. All foods made using GM techniques must be labelled without exception. It is the consumers right to know and to select the food products they wish to consume using truthful, transparent and accurate food labelling information.

Other concerns with the issues paper includes the statement "caution needs to be exercised in order that the development and application of these and other innovative technologies (eg: GM, nanotechnology, irradiation) are not unduly inhibited". If foods contain GM ingredients, nanotechnology or are irradiated then consumers have a right to know and exercise their freedom of choice when purchasing these goods. These technologies should not be hidden in a shroud of secrecy, this is about consumer rights and choices.

Currently GM foods require Pre Market Clearance and must undergo health and safety assessments (not testing), however if they are not labelled they are not captured under this requirement.

GM patent owners still refuse to supply the seed and approvals for independent research and prevent negative evidence from being published. Until substantial and independent research is undertaken consumers cannot be assured of the safety of GM foods for the environment and public health. These are all reasons why our food labelling laws must be tightened up.

The Committee is calling for public submissions and this is your opportunity to voice your concerns about food labelling in this country. If you are concerned I encourage you to write an online submission, but make sure you're quick , they're due by 14^th May, 2010.