Labels only answer the basic questions
The new 'country of origin food labelling system' commences on 1 July 2016. This new system will address the ambiguity of the current country of origin labelling system, but will telling us what percentage of a product is Australian made or grown be enough?
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The major recall of frozen raspberry products after a Hepatitis A outbreak in early 2015 alerted customers to the risks associated with food imported from countries with less strict regulations than our own. Australian food consumers are increasingly literate and their demands for information already go beyond the new system's promise.
An ongoing study confirms consumers of fresh food want to access more information beyond its origins. Distance-to-market is critically important for those who want to contribute to national production and specifically, to their local economies, by supporting small-scale local growers within their own communities. The study revealed a further three categories of information most frequently sought in addition a foods origin. When was the product harvested? Have chemicals been used at any stage in production? How ethical is the operation? While the new labelling system provides an important part of what consumers want to know, it is only a small part. The need for better quality information for food-literate consumers to make informed choices, is yet to be fulfilled.
Dr Dilupa Nakandala, Western Sydney University
White night potential in the heart of the CBD
Ballarat has successfully procured The White Night festival which is expected to attract thousands to Ballarat. This event was extremely popular in Melbourne and attracted huge crowds. It is coming to Regional Victoria in 2017 and we are so lucky to be staging it here in Ballarat. Civic Hall was the venue for a laser light show in 1984 (part of the Begonia Festival) by world renowned artist Joseph Stanislaus Ostoja-Kotkowski AM known for his pioneering work in laser kinetics and sound and image projections. Imagine how amazing the Civic Hall would be if it was lit up with something similar during the White Night Festival. We have an iconic building on the site that should be restored, reactivated and utilised to provide a multi-purpose venue for the diverse events that are currently on offer such as the Diwali Festival, Winterlude and Foto Biennale.
In 2015 The Civic hall was used for the immersive installation "In the breath of ghosts" by artist Lisa Anderson as part of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale.According to a report in The Courier (24/5/2016) the Biennale of Australian Art "plans to activate the entire city - from historic buildings to Lake Wendouree to abandoned spaces - with scores of art works"...Organiser Julie Collins said "BOAA will be held across Ballarat's historic buildings, its outdoor locations including Victoria Park and Lake Wendouree, and also plans to activate dis-used, neglected and abandoned spaces".The large scale future events will place enormous strain on the existing venues that are bursting at the seams. We are going to need a large venue if we wish to attract these large events…..it's common sense really. The Civic Hall is the logical answer to accommodating future events. The White Night Festival will be staged in February 2017; it should not take too much time or resources to make the Civic Hall event ready for this festival.
Judith Buchanan, Sebastapol
ALL AT SEA over belated launches
A ship doesn't go to sea before it has been launched, whereas the various party election campaigns had been hopelessly at sea for weeks before they were belatedly "launched".
Len Dixon, Ainslie