Published Wednesday, 17 December, 2008 at 06:30 AM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland
The Honourable Kerry Shine
New laws help frozen fish cut the ice
Queenslanders who intend to chow down on seafood for Christmas lunch can have greater confidence they are eating precisely what they paid for with the immediate introduction of new regulations preventing traders bulking up sales with ice.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said the new fair trading regulation meant frozen or partly frozen fish could no longer be glazed with ice or ice water or frozen brine which often meant seafood came up in short measure.
“Queensland has been leading the way to introduce a standard process for testing the net weight of frozen seafood packages,” Mr Shine said.
“This Christmas consumers can be confident that the seafood they buy for Christmas lunch will be exactly what they pay for.
“The regulation is also important for the seafood industry, because it will help ensure wholesalers and retailers receive the correct measure – and therefore the best value – each time.
“The Office of Fair Trading has been working with other states, territories and the Commonwealth to develop the national testing method to prevent consumers from being ripped off.”
Mr Shine said frozen or partly frozen fish could easily be bulked up with glazes like iced water or brine.
“Traders must be careful to ensure they do not charge consumers more than the cost of the actual seafood.
“Importers and wholesalers can now be checked by trade measurement inspectors to ensure their customers are not paying for ice in the weight of the frozen seafood.
“Imported fish makes up more than 60 per cent of the value of fish sold in the domestic market in Australia, and the industry is becoming increasingly reliant on overseas supplies to meet demand.
“Queensland consumers love their seafood and must be confident they’re getting the amount of seafood they pay for and should not pay for the ice glaze as well as the fish.”
“Our seafood industry contributes almost half a billion dollars annually to the Queensland economy.
“It is important traders do the right thing.
“With the tightening economic climate, the Queensland government is acting to ensure consumers get a better deal in the marketplace.
“Any traders who are caught ripping off consumers face prosecution under the Trade Measurement Act 1990 and fines of up to $20,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a company.”
The new testing method was introduced in the Trade Measurement (Prepacked Articles – Frozen Fish) Regulation.
For more information about trade measurement laws in Queensland, visit the Office of Fair Trading website at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.
Media contact Chris Taylor 0419 710 874
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said the new fair trading regulation meant frozen or partly frozen fish could no longer be glazed with ice or ice water or frozen brine which often meant seafood came up in short measure.
“Queensland has been leading the way to introduce a standard process for testing the net weight of frozen seafood packages,” Mr Shine said.
“This Christmas consumers can be confident that the seafood they buy for Christmas lunch will be exactly what they pay for.
“The regulation is also important for the seafood industry, because it will help ensure wholesalers and retailers receive the correct measure – and therefore the best value – each time.
“The Office of Fair Trading has been working with other states, territories and the Commonwealth to develop the national testing method to prevent consumers from being ripped off.”
Mr Shine said frozen or partly frozen fish could easily be bulked up with glazes like iced water or brine.
“Traders must be careful to ensure they do not charge consumers more than the cost of the actual seafood.
“Importers and wholesalers can now be checked by trade measurement inspectors to ensure their customers are not paying for ice in the weight of the frozen seafood.
“Imported fish makes up more than 60 per cent of the value of fish sold in the domestic market in Australia, and the industry is becoming increasingly reliant on overseas supplies to meet demand.
“Queensland consumers love their seafood and must be confident they’re getting the amount of seafood they pay for and should not pay for the ice glaze as well as the fish.”
“Our seafood industry contributes almost half a billion dollars annually to the Queensland economy.
“It is important traders do the right thing.
“With the tightening economic climate, the Queensland government is acting to ensure consumers get a better deal in the marketplace.
“Any traders who are caught ripping off consumers face prosecution under the Trade Measurement Act 1990 and fines of up to $20,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a company.”
The new testing method was introduced in the Trade Measurement (Prepacked Articles – Frozen Fish) Regulation.
For more information about trade measurement laws in Queensland, visit the Office of Fair Trading website at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.
Media contact Chris Taylor 0419 710 874