The Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) awareness campaign raises awareness of the increased risk of JEV, the availability of the vaccine, and ways to avoid infection. With instances of JEV found as close as the Northern Territory border, this is a new threat to WA communities, especially those in key areas of the Kimberley. This campaign is unique to other mosquito-borne disease campaigns (including the overarching ‘Fight the Bite’ campaign) by the fact that a vaccine is available to those most at risk. This vaccine provides long-term protection from JEV. The 2023 JEV communications toolkit (zip file) includes posters and social media graphics with suggested messaging for you to share to help us to reach our intended target audiences. Read the JEV campaign page for more details. 

As the risk of mosquito-borne disease in the north of WA increases, it is important for local government to undertake practical measures to minimise the presence of mosquitoes. Where possible, Environmental Health teams are encouraged to facilitate the cutting/mowing of grass and vegetation, to reduce the likelihood of mosquitoes seeking shelter around communities. Local government may also wish to encourage homeowners to cut their own grass regularly by promoting the newly developed infographic available on the Fight the Bite webpage. 

To help food businesses to detemine if Standard 3.2.2A applies to their food handling activities and to improve understanding of the standard, a range of resources are now available including:

• Food Safety Management Tools Guide for food business
• Infographic
• Factsheet

These resources are accessible on Food Safety Management Tools for food businesses.

The EHD recently hosted a Food Safety Management Tools webinar and seminar for Environmental Health Professionals providing an overview of Standard 3.2.2A. You can now listen to the webinar here (or view the PDF slideshow). A template letter for local governments to send to registered food businesses is also available to download from the EH Practitioner webpage. Social media graphics and a Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit will be released over the coming month to support promotion of the standard. Any feedback on all resources can be emailed to Food Safety. View the seminar photo's one |  photo two | photo three. 

From the 8 December 2023 certain food businesses will be required to appoint a food safety supervisor who must complete an approved training course provided by a registered training organisation (RTO). A range of WA based RTO's are approved to deliver the required units of compentence outlined in Standard 3.2.2A, outlined on food safety supervisor training course.  

With the roll out of Standard 3.2.2A Australia-wide three online food safety training courses have been assessed to meet the requirements of the standard. These include: 

The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has updated Safe Food Australia to incorporate the new Standard 3.2.2A food safety management tools, which comes into effect in December 2023. The guide is for government agencies who are responsible for enforcing the standards. Food businesses may also find it offers helpful information about the standards and food safety issues. The key changes to the standard are the requirements for training for food handlers and supervisors and substantiating key actions at critical points known to manage food safety risks.

The Food Unit is busy collecting retail samples of poultry, pork and beef to support a national project being coordinated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Data is being collected on Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus in retail meat commodities to identify the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).  For more information visit National surveillance of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in retail food.

Local government enforcement agencies are encouraged to adopt a strategic approach when applying legislative enforcement provisions by developing a written compliance and enforcement policy or strategy. This will ensure consistency in enforcement action taken by a local government, its Environmental Health Officers and authorised officers. The Food Act Compliance and Enforcement Guideline for Local Government Enforcement Agencies is designed to assist a local government to develop a strategy based on the compliance and enforcement requirements of the Food Act 2008. This includes the issuing of written warnings, improvement noitces, infringement notices, prohibition orders and legal action through the courts. 

The Alcohol content and labelling requirements for non-alcoholic fermented beverages guide provides information for local government Food Act 2008 Authorised Officers to carry out functions relating to monitoring compliance with the alcohol content and labelling requirements by food businesses manufacturing fermented beverages commonly sold as non-alcoholic. Fermented beverages commonly sold as non-alcoholic can contain low levels of alcohol as a by-product of the fermentation process used in their manufacture. However, if the appropriate controls have not been achieved during manufacture there is potential for unintended higher levels of alcohol production. Read more here.  

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety have made it easy to obtain a list of licensed and registered asbestos removalists operating in WA. Refer to licence and registration.  

The Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation has introduced the Major Events Bill 2023 into WA Parliament, which aims to establish a legislative framework to support the attraction, facilitation and retention of major events in WA. Major events deliver significant economic and social benefits to the State. It is becoming increasingly common for international bodies to require potential host cities of major events to provide certain protections or guarantees for their events. The Bill is intended to provide greater certainty to major event organisers and venue operators by providing for the safe and orderly running of major events, streamlining some approval processes and protecting the commercial interests of the major event organisers. The provisions in the legislation will only apply to an event that is prescribed as a major event. Details of this Bill are available on the WA Parliament website. Download the Bill as Introduced and the Explanatory Memorandum presented in the Legislative Assembly

The WA Government has commissioned an independent review to make sure current and future WA Governments are prepared to manage any future pandemics or events. Three independent reviewers will assess what parts of WA’s COVID-19 management and response worked well and how current and future Governments can be better prepared. Submissions from the public sector, industry, businesses, and the community about WA’s COVID-19 response will help the review panel gather insights, learnings, and make recommendations. Read more here.

The EHD's Biological and Applied Environmental Health Team has recently advertised for a Scientific Officer to join the team. This position provides advice to internal and external stakeholders, including other state government agencies, on environmental health matters including, but not limited to, risk and emergency management at events and within public buildings, skin penetration and hair dressing premises. The successful applicant also inspects and reports on public events/buildings that fall within Department of Health’s jurisdiction, and also undertakes epidemiological investigations of Legionnaires’ Disease cases and outbreaks. Learn more here. 

The EHD are sponsors of this years EHA conference, held from the 26th to 28 April. A number of our staff will be presenting at the event including the recently announced masterclasses.

Good local employment but low housing stock? It is recognised that many regional areas have water, wastewater or electricity infrastructure constraints impeding local development. The State Government now has an estimated $80 million Infrastructure Development Fund, with grants to boost both metropolitan infill and regional development. Regional funds can help local governments and developers offset costs of providing essential services to new housing developments, improving the economic feasibility of such projects. Refer to the infrastructure development fund for more details. 

The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology are organising a technical tour of the Gage Roads Brewery production facility on the 16 March 2023, 6pm to 8pm. Learn more and register here. 

The Communicable Diseases and Immunisation Conference 2023 (CDIC2023) will be held in Perth from Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 June 2023 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Learn more here.

The City of Stirling has successfully prosecuted the owners of the Pearfect Pantry for a breach of section 16 of the Food Act 2008. The owners of the business displayed cupcakes with a laminated sign that did not show it contained nuts. Upon enquiries a customer asked whether or not the cupcake had nuts and were egg free. She was informed that they were. The cupcake was provided to a child who had a very small amount of the icing, resulting in a severe allergic reaction. The City of Stirling charged the owners of the food business with causing food intended to be sold to be falsely described, where somebody purchases the food relying on the description could suffer physical harm. Ultimately in this matter a fine was imposed on the business and a portion on each of the owners of an amount of $4,000.00 with $2,311.00 of fines each. Read more here.