Restaurant fined $10,000 for Food Act breaches
by Leon Gettler
The proprietor of an Italian restaurant in Hallam has been fined $10,000 and ordered to do 150 hours of community work when he was found guilty of about 40 breaches of the Food Act.
The breaches included storing potentially hazardous seafood in a dishwashing sink, mouse excrement found in cupboards, and food stored uncovered in non-food tea towels, or grade material.
Casey Council threw the book at the proprietor of A Taste of Italy, which has now closed but was formerly in Spring Square. The Council took him to Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on February 10 in relation to 43 offences.
After pleading guilty to 37 charges, the proprietor was convicted and placed on a 12 month community corrections order. He was also ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid community work and pay part of the council’s costs, fixed to the amount of $10,000.
Casey Mayor Sam Aziz said the case had put all food businesses in the area on notice that they had to comply with food safety laws.
“Most food businesses in our municipality deliver the high standards of hygiene and food safety that the community expects and deserves, however it’s very unfortunate and concerning when a business like this, which has now closed, takes risks with the health of their customers,” Cr Aziz told the Leader newspaper.
“Council takes food safety seriously and continues to be proactive in ensuring that food sold in Casey is safe and suitable for human consumption.”
According to council officers, that particular case was one of 85 infringements and official warnings that the council had issued under the Food Act following 1969 food premises visits in 2015, including routine inspections, follow up inspections and investigation of food complaints. There are 1273 fixed food premises registered in the city of Casey.
Offences under the Victorian Food Act are publicly available on the convictions register at health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety
23rd March 2016
