On 15 April 2016, the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) agreed in-principle to trial ‘stakeholder roundtables’ (the Roundtables).
The Roundtable is one of a number of initiatives adopted under FRSC’s communications strategy. The Roundtable is intended to provide FRSC and stakeholders an opportunity to strengthen relationships, share information, and improve awareness of policy development and other activities within the Food Regulatory System.
In July 2016, FRSC hosted a facilitated workshop to test and refine the proposed purpose, membership, and draft terms of reference for the Roundtable. The workshop was attended by FRSC members, or their delegates, and senior stakeholders from a number of industry, public health and consumer groups comprising Choice, the Public Health Association of Australia, the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council, the Dietitians Association of Australia and Restaurant and Catering Australia. Food Standards Australia New Zealand also attended as did the Chair of the Strategic Planning Working Group.
On 10 August 2016, FRSC agreed the final terms of reference, membership, and standardised agenda for the Roundtables, and agreed to proceed with three trial Roundtables before undertaking an evaluation.
The first trial Roundtable was held in September 2016. The other two trial Roundtables were held in February and September 2017.
The evaluation was undertaken between late 2017 and early 2018. The objective was to consider what worked, and what could be improved, in the way the Roundtables are designed and delivered. The evaluation was informed by participants’ feedback.
In May 2018, FRSC accepted the Evaluation Report and agreed to implement all of its recommendations.
The terms of references (available below) for the Roundtables have been updated and the membership has been expanded to up to 15 senior representatives from key national stakeholder groups representing public health, consumer and industry interests. Additional stakeholder groups or technical experts can be invited to attend, as needed, considering the agenda and priorities of the Food Regulatory System.
Any person can provide a written report to the Roundtable for its consideration; to be pre-circulated and included under the standing agenda item ‘correspondence received’.
No decisions are made by the Roundtable. A summary of the discussion will be provided to FRSC and published on this website after each meeting.
Food Regulation Roundtables Terms of Reference (Word 33 KB)
Food Regulation Roundtables Terms of Reference (PDF 62 KB)
The next Roundtable date is to be confirmed.
Communiques of each Roundtable are published after the meeting.
