The overriding aim of the system is to:

• protect the health and safety of consumers by reducing food-related risks
• help consumers make informed choices about food by making sure they have information they need and are not misled
• support public health by promoting healthy food choices; maintaining and enhancing the nutritional qualities of food and responding to specific public health concerns
• support a strong, sustainable food industry that offers a diverse, affordable food supply that also benefits the Australian and New Zealand economies

To help achieve these aims, the Australian Government, states and territories and the New Zealand Government work together to maintain a system that:

• provides safe food controls to protect health and safety
• reduces the burden of laws and compliance on the food sector
• helps align Australia's and New Zealand’s domestic and export food standards, and facilitate their harmonisation with international food standards
• provides cost effective compliance and enforcement arrangements for industry, government and consumers
• recognises that responsibility for food safety includes all levels of government
• supports the joint Australian and New Zealand efforts to harmonise food standards

The Australian, states and territories, and New Zealand Governments also agree that all sectors of the food supply chain are responsible for managing their own food safety risks, but recognise that the ways of achieving this will vary from sector to sector.