Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

No, I will deal with them separately. They are related, but I will speak to them and then move them separately.

The first amendment is to include a definition of ‘industry representative’. The coalition proposes that an industry representative be a person who the minister is satisfied has high-level industry or commercial expertise in the manufacture, distribution or marketing of food or beverages, including alcoholic beverages. This relates to having an industry representative on the advisory council of the Preventive Health Agency. The coalition proposes to include this definition in the definitions section. Then there is the separate amendment to clause 29 where we talk about the membership of the advisory council.

We believe that to get outcomes in this area it is important that we work with all relevant stakeholders. In an area like preventative health, if we are talking about, for example, trans-fats then we would want to work with restaurants and the fast-food sector to achieve results in terms of preventative health. If we are talking about the reduction of antisocial drinking or teenage drinking or harmful drinking, then it is important that we work closely with industry. Whilst the explanatory memorandum acknowledges this at page 3 and talks about the sorts of expertise, and the minister refers to that, the coalition proposes that the definition specifically include high-level industry or commercial expertise in the manufacture, distribution or marketing of foods or beverages, including alcoholic beverages. This definition is modelled from the Tourism Australia Act but of course is relevant and is tied to our other amendment regarding the membership of the advisory council. In effect, it ensures that industry representation is specific to the food and beverage industry, which is most pertinent to this area.