Brisbane City Council says its Eat Safe program is proving to be a recipe for success.

Figures for the past year show the hospitality industry continues to maintain high food health and safety standards.

Damian Staveley reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Brisbane’s Eat Safe rating system has been informing residents since 2010 about the extent to which businesses comply with food safety laws.

The City Council’s Lifestyle Chairman says the regulations are strict but fair.

Cr Krista Adams, Brisbane Lifestyle Chairman: “We have 44 Eat Safe Inspectors that are out on the ground doing the regular proactive but also the reactive complaints. Obviously it is very common for cockroaches and rodents and Brisbane restaurants need to be very clear of this.”

The Eat Safe program provides businesses with a rating of between zero and five.

Businesses receiving a star rating of between three and five are deemed acceptable by Brisbane City Council. More than 90% of them achieved this.

These results are then published online.

One cafe-owner says every restaurant should have a five star-rating.

Penny Panorea, Five Sisters Café Owner: “You can make any of your customers sick if you don’t follow the procedures that have been put in place so easily by Brisbane City Council.”

In the last financial year alone there have been more than 6000 inspections, over 900 complaints and fines totalling just over $700,000.

But Opposition Leader Milton Dick says Council has dropped the ball.

Cr Milton Dick, Opposition Leader: “The Council needs to allocate more funding and more resources, particularly in the areas of compliance and regulatory services. This is one area we have seen cut backs in staff and also in resources.”

But both sides of council emphasised the need to work with businesses to educate them about their obligations.

Damian Staveley, QUT News.