New laws for food businesses under Standard 3.2.2A

Recent changes to the Food Standards Code have introduced new requirements for all businesses that prepare and serve food in NSW.

From Friday 8 December 2023, businesses that process unpackaged, potentially hazardous food, and serve it ready-to-eat, are required to:

• have a qualified onsite Food Safety Supervisor;
• ensure all food handlers are trained in food safety and hygiene; and
• be able to show their food is safe.

Businesses that only slice, weigh, repack, reheat or hot-hold potentially hazardous food they have not made themselves, for example for example slicing fruit or reheating meals provided by a caterer, are required to:

• have a qualified onsite Food Safety Supervisor, and 
• ensure all food handlers are trained in food safety and hygiene.

The changes affect most retail and hospitality food businesses, as well as school canteens, childcare and out of school hours (OOSH) services, charities and not-for-profits that regularly sell food, delis, supermarkets, coffee vendors and correctional centres.

See the NSW Food Authority website for more information:

• Standard 3.2.2A quiz for businesses
• Standard 3.2.2A – Frequently asked questions
• Food Safety Supervisors
• Free Food Handler Basics training
• Showing food is safe

Registering your Food Business:

All food businesses must either:

• Notify Council of their food activity details (This depends on the type of business. Check if this applies to your business).
• Hold a NSW Food Authority licence (This applies to food businesses in sectors covered by regulation under the Food Act 2003).
• Notify the NSW Food Authority of their food activity details (This depends on the type of business. Check if this applies to your business).

Temporary Food Stalls (TFS):

Temporary food stalls include any structure set up for a specific, occasional event, such as a fete, fair, market or concert. All food stalls must be registered with Council before conducting business. There are fees associated with this application. Applications must be lodged no less than 10 business days prior to the event to ensure your approval is issued on time.

The NSW Food Authority provides a comprehensive guide of your responsibilities of operating a temporary food stall.

Mobile Food Vendors (MFV):

Mobile food vendors are vehicles which are used for on-site food preparation such as hamburgers, hot dogs and kebabs, one-step food preparation such as popcorn, fairy floss, coffee and squeezing juices or any type of food including pre-packaged food.

In addition to applying to operate a mobile food vending vehicle, an inspection must be carried out prior to approval or renewal, or as requested. Vehicles registered outside of the Gunnedah Local Government Area are required to seek approval to operate in our area.

The NSW Food Authority have put together a Guidelines for Mobile Food Vending Vehicles which provides the food safety standards and requirements that need to be met along with a convenient checklist that allows operators to identify any key issues that they may still need to meet prior to operating.

Private Land Use (MFV only):

The State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) allows mobile food vending vehicles to trade from private land subject to certain criteria. Certain development standards apply including a requirement for the consent of the landowner, a limit of one vehicle per site and the hours of operation being restricted to 7am to 7pm in residential zones. Notification to Council is still required.

23 August, 2023

NOTICE OF PROPOSED HAZARD REDUCTION WORKS PORCUPINE RESERVE APEX ROAD, GUNNEDAH - SATURDAY 26-28 AUGUST 2023

The Liverpool Range District will be undertaking Hazard Reduction Works in the Porcupine Reserve, Apex Rd, Gunnedah. Works will be undertaken East of Porcupine Lookout and are set to commence from 11am on Saturday 26 to Monday 28 August, 2023.

Crews will undertake backburning of the area throughout the day and evening and will be supported by aircraft during day light hours.

This is a significant hazard reduction for the area as it creates a Strategic Fire Advantage Zone for properties east of the lookout. Whilst all efforts will be made to minimalise smoke impacts to the area, It is anticipated that there will be some smoke over the roads and in the village itself for the duration of the burn.

As the prescribed burn will generate smoke, hot embers and heat, it is important that you consider the following:
• Keep doors and windows closed to prevent smoke entering homes;
• Keep outdoor furniture under cover to prevent ember burns;
• Retract pool covers to prevent ember damage;
• Remove washing from clotheslines;
• Ensure pets have a protected area;
• If you are driving a vehicle, slow down, keep windows up and turn headlights on; and
• If you have asthma or a lung condition, reduce outdoor activities. If smoke levels are high and if shortness of breath or coughing develops, take your reliever medicine or seek medical advice.

Should any further information be required, please contact the RFS Liverpool Range on (02) 6746 5800 between 9am and 4.30pm weekdays. You can also obtain additional information on prescribed burning and property preparedness by accessing the NSW Rural Fire Service website at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

If weather conditions become unfavourable on the scheduled burn day, the hazard reduction burn will be postponed until conditions become suitable.
We also ask that motorists take care on the roads in the vicinity the burn area to allow our crews to safely conduct their work. Road Access to the Porcupine Reserve, via Apex Rd, Gunnedah will be closed for the duration of the Hazard Reduction.

Hiccup, a children’s live theatre show produced by Windmill Theatre Company, will come to the stage at The Civic in Gunnedah on Friday, 15 September.

Recommended for children aged between 4-10 years old, this 45-minute show is a rocking outback adventure to find the great hiccup cure.

A sleep-deprived camper, a cheeky quokka and an emu with a penchant for creating wild inventions awake to discover that a koala has come down with a stubborn and ear-shatteringly loud case of the hiccups.

The three embark on an epic journey through the night that sees them frantically eat, sing and invent their way towards a cure before the sun comes up.

“Hiccup is a very funny musical focussing on the importance of working together, finding friendship and how to stop the hiccups,” Gunnedah Shire Council Manager Economy and Growth Susan Frater said.

“This will be a wonderfully entertaining show for young members of our region to enjoy. There’s a morning show or an early afternoon show, so we’re hoping parents and carers can attend when it suits their schedules.”

WHEN

Friday, 15 September
Session 1: 10.30am
Session 2: 1pm

LOCATION

The Civic Theatre, 83 Chandos St, Gunnedah NSW

TICKETS
$15

 For bookings or more information http://2hqy76getc80ta4ca79kr1gc0g.live.abccinema.co.nz/movie/hiccup

AgQuip kicks off in Gunnedah next Tuesday for its 50th Anniversary Year, with Gunnedah Shire Council on board as a sponsor.

Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey said Gunnedah was the birthplace of AgQuip, with the first field days held in 1973 through the efforts of a small but visionary group of primary producers and volunteers.

“The AgQuip Field Days were not only an ingenious idea, but they were so successful that the legacy has been carried on for half a century, and become one of the biggest field day events in the Southern Hemisphere,” Cr Chaffey said.

“AgQuip, now held by ACM Rural Events, has cemented Gunnedah Shire’s reputation as the birthplace of innovation in agriculture. People from around the country and around the world gather here to see the future of farming.

“Each year, our Shire buzzes with the excitement of tens of thousands of exhibitors, sponsors and visitors who are here to see cutting-edge technology, technical demonstrations and the latest in efficiency and sustainability.

“AgQuip also shines a light on the Gunnedah Shire community and just how enviable our lifestyle can be. Our people are ambassadors for this beautiful part of New South Wales, and our organisations and businesses underpin the success of this important event.”

Cr Chaffey said with the influx of visitors would come the usual increase in traffic, and called on residents to be patient on the roads over the three-day period of AgQuip.

Traffic arrangements for AgQuip, Tuesday, 22 August to Thursday, 24 August:

• The overpass bridge will be open to heavy vehicles only between the hours of 7am to 10.30am and 2.30pm to 6pm. It will be open to all traffic outside these hours (pending traffic volumes).

• View Street and Wandobah Road will be detoured via Hunter Street between 7am and 10.30 am, and 2.30pm and 6pm. Those roads will be open to all traffic outside these hours. Normal bus route access will be available at all times.

• Black Jack Road will be closed at the Oxley Highway intersection between 7am and 7pm. Motorists will need to use Wandobah Road access.

The Gunnedah Shire Council stand is located at site number AA-BB/09, which is in the Education Pavilion.

Gunnedah Shire Council has awarded $39,435 towards the projects of ten community and sporting organisations under the 2023-24 Section 356 (Community and Sports) Small Grants Program.

Council’s Section 356 (Community and Sports) Small Grants Program has been in place since 2005 and is aimed at supporting the work of local not-for-profit, charitable community and sporting groups and organisations.

Among the biggest beneficiaries of $17,219 in Section 356 Community Grants was the Gunnedah Pre-School, which will receive $4,959.70 towards the purchase of soft mats, a crash mat and other equipment.

The Tambar Springs Progress Association will receive $4,920 for connection of electricity supply to the Community Recreation Centre, and the Gunnedah Rural Museum will receive $4,540 to purchase an A3 laser printer and photocopier.

Other community groups that were successful in securing funding included;

Allawah Cottage - $1,508.18 for purchase of new washing machine and dryer.

The Shepherd Centre - $1,292 for the delivery of an early intervention program for deaf children and their families in the Gunnedah Shire.

A total of $22,215.12 was allocated under the Section 356 Sports Grants.

Local sporting groups that were successful in their applications include the Gunnedah Swimming Club, which will receive $5,000 for the purchase of a new timing system, the Gunnedah and District Kennel Club will receive $5,000 towards purchase of insulation for its canteen roof, and the Gunnedah & District Pony Club will receive $4,224.50 to refit a new clubhouse first aid room.

The Gunnedah & District Football Club will receive $4,908.82 for the purchase of LED stadium lights and the Gunnedah Gymnastic Centre has been allocated $3,081.80 towards the purchase of two smart TVs.

Gunnedah Shire Council Deputy Mayor Rob Hooke congratulated the successful recipients.

“The Section 356 (Community and Sports) Small Grants Program is a vital funding source for our local sporting and community groups and Council is thrilled to be able to support their ongoing development to help ensure that they continue to play an important part in the every day lives of people living in our Shire,” Cr Hooke said.

Gunnedah Shire Council will continue a long tradition of supporting local businesses with a total of $17,380 in funding through Round One of the 2023/24 Business Partner Program.

The Business Partner Program is part of Council’s Economic Development Strategy that focuses on attracting new business and helping existing businesses in the Gunnedah Shire to expand.

The Business Partner Program Advisory Group recommended an allocation of $17,380 across nine local businesses and organisations. All applications were considered on their individual merits, with priority given to those demonstrating benefit and economic growth to the region and aligned with the Business Partner Guidelines.

The successful recipients were:

• ProFit 24 - $3500 for Strength Room extension
• Fogarty Fotos - $2380 for relocation to larger premises
• PK Podiatry Centre – $5000 for a flotation tank
• Serene Ayurveda - $750 towards website and advertising costs
• Sunburnt Treasures - $1000 towards Google optimisation
• Stinger Vintage House - $750 towards signage
• The Mindful Business Hub - $750 towards a commercial space
• Tori Etheridge Photography - $2500 towards “Good Memories can be Created”
• Hive Coffee - $750 towards signage.

Chair of the Business Partner Advisory Group Cr Colleen Fuller said Council was proud of its Business Partner Program which aims to not only support current, but also stimulate new business in the Gunnedah Shire.

“Gunnedah’s reputation as a regional township is continuing to grow as a result of the many great businesses that have and are continuing to set up here. Increasingly, we are becoming a go-to destination in this part of NSW for people seeking quality business and lifestyle services,” she said.

“As a council we will continue to be as proactive as possible in supporting and encouraging growth of our businesses.”

August 14, 2023

Gunnedah Shire Council will hold a presentation at the Gunnedah and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s August networking event for employers interested in joining an Employment Expo in Kolomotu’a in the Kingdom of Tonga.

The presentation will be held on Thursday, August 17, and will outline the next steps to joining the Gunnedah delegation planned for October, 2023.

Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey said the presentation was an excellent opportunity to learn about progressing the benefits of employment with Gunnedah’s Sister City of Kolomotu’a.

“We have a strong partnership with our friends in Kolomotu’a, and are looking at very practical ways we can realise mutual benefits, particularly in the areas of employment, arts and culture, sports and education,” Cr Chaffey said.

“A Gunnedah Shire delegation to Tonga in October will hold an Employment Expo that will be targeted at creating realistic employment outcomes for both Tongan people and Gunnedah employers. To this end, we are inviting employers with a genuine need and intent to employ people from Kolomotu’a to join us for this expo.

“We are hoping the delegation will include a diverse representation of businesses and industries.

“This presentation in conjunction with the Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce will give businesses a very clear idea of what the delegation will involve, including potential costs, timing and opportunities.”

Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce president Ben Hennessy said the Employment Expo could further significant opportunities for Gunnedah Shire businesses.

“The Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce is proud to partner with Gunnedah Shire Council in this event to make sure businesses have all the information they need to take part in this exciting delegation,” Mr Hennessy said.

“Our region has some amazing and rapidly growing businesses and industries, and the partnership with Kolomotu’a could offer a solution to an identified employment problem. We hope to see a strong and diverse group of employers join the Employment Expo in Tonga in October.”

The Tongan Employment Expo presentation will be part of the Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce’s monthly networking event and will be held at:
• 5.30pm, Thursday, 17 August
• Rettie & Vickery, 101 Marquis Street, Gunnedah

Please RSVP to https://www.gunnedah.org.au/event-details/august-beer-bubbles

Caption: Members of the 2022 delegation to Kolomotu’a visit the Fokololo ‘a e Hau Institute in the Kingdom of Tonga.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

14 August, 2023

Gunnedah Shire residents will receive their quarterly water notice over the next few weeks.

The water notice will reflect the increased rates recently adopted by Gunnedah Shire Council following the annual process of public consultation for Council fees and charges and the Operational Plan.

The increased fees will only apply to the July 2023 portion of each bill and not the May-June portion which will be billed at 2022-2023 rates. In addition, to help with the transition to the new fees, residents will only be billed at Tier 1 levels for May and June, and not at the higher Tier 2 and 3 levels.

The funds raised through water charges are used to operate, maintain and renew Gunnedah Shire’s water supply services. They are set in accordance with the NSW Best Practice Management of Water Supply and Sewerage Guidelines 2007 and comply with the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) Pricing Principles for Local Water Authorities.

The new prices from 1 July 2023 are:
• Tier 1 – first 400kL - $1.76/kL
• Tier 2 – 401kL to 800kL - $2.64/kL
• Tier 3 – over 800kL - $3.96/kL

The rates have been increased to assist in meeting the rising costs associated with providing the community with a water supply.

To find out more about water notices, ways to save water and keep your bill as low as possible, your water meter and water conservation levels, click here. 

There is an answer – and it’s art!

One of the ultimate ways to recycle and reuse is to turn what has been thrown out into unique works of art, and Gunnedah artists have it covered.

The biennial Gunnedah Shire Waste Into Art exhibition is always a triumph of creativity over waste or pre-loved materials, with wildly imaginative uses for unexpected materials.

Gunnedah Shire Manager Economy and Growth Susan Frater said she was hoping artists would make Waste Into Art 2023 even bigger and better than it has been in past years.

“The theme this year for Waste Into Art is The Circular Economy,” Ms Frater said.

“We are living in changing times when people are truly realising not only the value, but the critical need to reuse, reduce and recycle. Making art out of the items that are no longer needed is a worthy challenge – and artists really are only limited by their own imagination.

“Gunnedah Shire Council is calling on our artists to be visionary with this challenge, to have fun, and to create something memorable.

“Waste Into Art 2023 will open in October, which leaves a bit of time to start thinking and start creating.”

Artworks for Waste Into Art 2023 must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday, October 3 at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery. There will be prizes in the categories of:

• Early Childhood/Preschools
• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools
• Collaborative Work
• Most Creative
• Best suits theme of “The Circular Economy”
• Functional Art (e.g. furniture, homewares, inventions etc)
• And the People’s Choice Award voted by visitors to the exhibition.

The entry form and further details are available on www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au

A statement about revised plans for the Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment

from Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey

August 9, 2023

Once again, the spotlight is on our health services in rural and regional New South Wales.

A new inquiry to inquire into the progress on the first inquiry has been announced.

It is clearly time to stop the political game-playing part of this process and get on with the job of building a better health system.

The original inquiry, which included significant and emotional submissions from our own Shire, along with a hearing of the inquiry in Gunnedah, resulted in 44 recommendations. It painted a sad but entirely accurate picture of health care in the country, where New South Wales residents die sooner, are more likely to have chronic diseases, and can’t find a doctor or access a hospital for treatment.

The inquiry found the rural health system was “in crisis and failing residents”. That is no news to the people of Gunnedah, many of whom went years between doctor’s visits.

Now, 14 months on, we have improved access to GPs and limited additional health services. Our new hospital remains a mirage on the horizon.

The state government promise in 2019 - backed by the Minns Government during the 2023 State Election campaign - of a comprehensive hospital redevelopment that would meet our desperate need for improved health care was met with relief and hope for the future. And yet four years later, we are stuck with a design that delivers only a fraction of the original plans. And we are yet to see any construction.

Despite the much-lauded community consultation, the revised plan presented to Council on July 10 this year falls short on so many services we were assured it would include. Where are the renal and chemotherapy services Gunnedah was promised?

Last week, the General Manager and I met with the NSW Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park and told him that despite the stark recognition of the critical need for these services, Gunnedah Shire was again being short-changed. We presented a comprehensive report highlighting a timeline of the tortuous process we have been through, from commitment to the project in 2019 through to release of the Master Plan in 2022, confirmation of commitment to the project by the Greens, Coalition and Labor candidates for Tamworth in February this year, and news it would not be delivered as promised just last month.

Our growing community deserves access to great health services in their home town. They deserve to have their lives valued as highly as those of the people who live in the city.

We were made no promises by Minister Park, although he has taken our concerns on board to discuss with Treasury. We called for the shortfall to be allocated in the September 19 State Budget.

I will continue to advocate for our community and their right to equity in health care, because a second inquiry can only find that the shortcomings discovered in the first have not yet been addressed.

Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey

Caption: A timeline showing the journey of the Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.