Environmental Health Officers in Brisbane have issued almost 500 infringement notices to local businesses for food safety breaches in the last financial year. This staggering number of fines has netted the Council over half a million dollars.
These figures were announced following the release of the City Council’s most recent annual report. Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has told reporters that the Council’s health department also successfully prosecuted 27 cases for food safety breaches.
Quirk adds that 18 Brisbane food businesses have had their licences cancelled, another 48 have received licence suspension notices and more than 600 have been issued with improvement notices.
Brisbane’s worst offenders
Fortitude Valley’s Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant, South Bank’s Ahmet’s Turkish Restaurant and Westfield Chermside’s Subway are amongst the worst offenders when it comes to food safety breaches.
Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant was fined $38,000 AUD earlier last year for numerous food safety offences. This included two for failing to ensure the corporation does not breach the Food Act 2006 and one for carrying on a licensable food business without a licence to carry on the food business. Other offences listed related to:
- food storage and storage facilities
- cleanliness
- maintenance and general requirements
- food processing
- animals and pests
Ahmet’s Licenced Turkish Restaurant in South Bank copped $25,000 in fines for:
- selling unsuitable food
- handling unsuitable food
- cleanliness
- maintenance
- animals and pests
Council’s EatSafe program
Brisbane City Council implemented the EatSafe program as a way to keep food safety offences to a minimum.
“Under EatSafe, offending businesses are clear on exactly which areas they are not meeting standards in, so they can improve or face strict enforcement from Council,” Cr Quirk said.
Despite the bad reviews of a few, more than 90 percent of food businesses received at least three stars.
Any residents who wish to report a Brisbane food business for any offence regarding food safety are urged to contact the Brisbane Council on 07 3403 8888.