New controls for Aussie-made

JULY 21, 2015: IMPORTING ingredients and simply slicing them here will no longer qualify as Australian-made.The Liberal National Government has approved a new system for Country of Origin labelling, which should start to appear on supermarket shelves later this year.These changes are good news for Australian jobs and Australian farmers because shoppers will have better information at their fingertips.Consumers will be able to make a quick comparison of products on the shelves and digital options are also being developed so consumers who want more detailed information can get it.Australians made it clear they wanted better country of origin labelling and the Abbott Government opened up a survey for community input.The familiar green and gold kangaroo and triangle design was the overwhelming preference of more than 17,800 respondents to the community survey.The logo will accompany a bar chart showing what proportion of the ingredients were from Australia.This will include, for example, “Made in Australia from 100% Australian ingredients”, “Packed in Australia, Made in Canada” and “Made in Australia from Australian carrots and French peas.”Companies will be encouraged to provide additional information on their labels – identifying the origin of key ingredients, for example.These reforms will also clarify the definition of “made in” Australia. Importing ingredients and simply slicing them will no longer qualify for a “made in” claim.Under the new scheme, if a product is imported into Australia and then re-packed, the label will identify where the item came from.The Abbott Government will continue to work with the States and Territories, whose agreement is required to roll out the new labels.An initial voluntary take-up of the country of origin food labels will mean shoppers should see changes on the shelves later this year.The mandatory rollout will commence in 2016, providing manufacturers with time to implement the new scheme. There will be a phased implementation period for small business.