Bill to consolidate food regulators debated

The Safe Food Victoria Bill 2026 seeks to abolish existing regulators Dairy Food Safety Victoria and PrimeSafe, replacing them with a new, independent regulator known as Safe Food Victoria that will report to the Minister for Agriculture. 
 
In her second reading speech Ros Spence, Minister for Agriculture said the aim of the legislation was to implement the first stage of a two-stage reform program to consolidate food safety regulators in Victoria. 
 
‘The way that the current food safety regulatory system is structured is overly complex, with four Victorian Acts and two responsible Ministers. The system is currently regulated by Department of Health, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Dairy Food Safety Victoria, PrimeSafe and 79 local councils,’ she said. 

Shadow Minister for Agriculture Emma Kealy acknowledged the intent to streamline regulation but expressed concern about dissolving specialist regulators with deep commodity‑specific expertise. 

‘These two organisations have been operating for a long period of time… and have a level of expertise as a result of that, which is quite nuanced and specific to the challenges that they have faced,’ she said. 

She warned that without safeguards, the reforms risked becoming ‘a bureaucratic nightmare’ rather than a simplification, and flagged planned amendments to protect industry levies, guarantee producer representation and strengthen transparency requirements.

“ ‘The way that the current food safety regulatory system is structured is overly complex, with four Victorian Acts and two responsible Ministers.' ”

Ros Spence, Minister for Agriculture

Member for Eureka Michaela Settle said food safety was at the heart of the bill. 

‘Most Victorians probably do not think about it every day, but it is something that they rely on every day – every time a parent is packing a lunchbox, every family sitting down to dinner and every visitor enjoying the incredible produce that we grow right here in Victoria,’ she said. 

Cindy McLeish, Member for Eildon, said the board of the newly created organisation would need to include industry expertise. 

‘Whilst it is skills based, and I am all for having skills-based and very capable boards, there must be that mechanism for those that understand this sector and who have skin in the game to be represented, and if that is not through board positions it needs to be through consultative committees,’ she said. 

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said the Department of Health and the Chief Health Officer would continue to play a critical role in food safety. 

‘My department will retain responsibility for receiving notifications of foodborne illness and microorganisms under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, and when such events occur the Chief Health Officer will provide advice to Safe Food Victoria on how to manage the situation and contain threats to Victorians’ safety,’ she said.

“ 'There must be that mechanism for those that understand this sector and who have skin in the game to be represented.' ”

Cindy McLeish, Member for Eildon

Member for Prahran Rachel Westaway said while the opposition supported the bill, it nonetheless contained omissions that ‘if left unaddressed they risk undermining the very efficiency gains the government says it is trying to achieve’. 

'We will seek amendments to mandate appropriate expertise on the board and to prescribe commodity-based consultative committees in the legislation itself, not as a courtesy but as a requirement,’ she said. 

The full debate can be accessed in Hansard.

The bill will now go to the Legislative Council for further consideration.