Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:08): Pursuant to section 35 of the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, I table Alert Digest No. 4 of 2026, including appendices, from the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee. I move:

That the report be published.

Motion agreed to.

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (13:09): I move:

That the Council take note of the report.

I would like to make a comment as a member of SARC and encourage people to read this report. It does cover four bills, but of particular interest is the Safe Food Victoria Bill 2026. It is about establishing Safe Food Victoria but in the process abolishes Dairy Food Safety Victoria and also PrimeSafe and amends a number of other bills. In this change there is an expansion of the role of authorised officers, and it seems to be silent on the role of authorised officers and their ability to inspect residential premises. There is an effective paragraph (b) of subclause 101(1), which is that authorised officers may enter any premises used to produce, manufacture or distribute regulated food. The committee will write to the minister to seek further information. The previous acts also do have exemptions carved out, but there are very broad definitions in this bill. The report notes that:

… equivalent provisions in nearly all other Australian jurisdictions provide that they do ‘not authorise entry into any part of premises that is being used solely for residential purposes, except – (a) with the consent of the occupier of the premises, or (b) under the authority of a search warrant, or (c) if that part of the premises is being used for the preparation or service of meals provided with paid accommodation.’ Queensland’s provision ‘does not include a part of the premises where a person resides’.

The committee is writing to the minister to seek further clarification as to what impact that subclause will have on residential premises. But I think it is worth pointing out that, particularly for dairy farms, there are farms that are homes and there are people cooking in their kitchens, so with the expansion to food, what impact is this going to have? The minister’s response can take some time to be received after the SARC report, so I am very keen – with that legislation being debated in the lower house, and certainly before it comes to our upper house – that we have clarity on that point, because rural and regional Victoria have already had rights eroded under this government. This is just a further expansion, and it needs further clarification.

Motion agreed to.