Greater transparency for seafood lovers

San Remo wharf provided the setting for a seafood packaging announcement from the Liberal and Nationals last week.

Leader of the Nationals, Peter Walsh, said if elected, a Liberal/National government would introduce country of origin labelling requirements for food sold for immediate consumption.

This means diners at restaurants or people ordering takeaway will know whether the seafood they’re ordering is local or imported.

Businesses such as pubs, cafés, restaurants and local takeaway stores will have to label the country of origin of the seafood they serve.

“People know Australian seafood is some of the best; with country of origin labelling consumers can have confidence in what they’re buying,” Mr Walsh said.

“Not only that, but local suppliers can see their product at the end of the supply chain.”

The fishing industry welcomed the announcement saying the new rules are as simple as seafood being labelled as Australian or imported and already exist for uncooked seafood.

They said unscrupulous retailers currently disguise imported seafood under Australian fish names to increase price and demand and the new policy would put an end to consumer rip-offs such as duckbill from Argentina being commonly sold as “flathead”.

The fishing industry called on the Victorian Labor party to adopt the policy and follow through on a similar commitment from Federal Labor’s announced before the Federal election.