February 28th, 2010 nola
2nd Round of Public Consultations to Commence on 5 March 2010.
February 25, 2010
The Committee conducting the Independent Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy is about to embark on the planned second round of public consultations in Australia and New Zealand.
This Review, chaired by Dr Neal Blewett AC, is being conducted at the request of the Council of Australian Governments and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, representing Australian and New Zealand Governments.
This public consultation period is an important opportunity for people to provide the Review Committee with specific information about ways to improve food labelling in Australia and New Zealand.
The Food Labelling Review Issues Consultation Paper summarises the issues that have been raised in the first round of submissions to the Review, as well as issues in the literature and media in recent years. This Paper elaborates on the Review’s Terms of Reference and has been prepared to stimulate thinking and debate. It is important to now take the next step in the Review process and begin thinking about the range of solutions and ideas to improve food labelling.
Members of the public are encouraged to take the opportunity to respond to the consultation questions, and to attend one of the public meetings that will be held across Australia and New Zealand.
The Food Labelling Review Issues Consultation Paper will be released on 5 March 2010 via the website (www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au). The closing date for written submissions is 14 May 2010. Submissions that add to the deliberation and discussion (and meet the submission guidelines) will be made publicly available on the website.
As part of the consultation, the Review Committee will be holding public forums in Australia and New Zealand from 17 March – 7 May 2010. Stakeholders are now invited to register on the website (www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au) to attend a public forum.
Brisbane Friday 7th May 2010
Source: www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au
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February 20th, 2010 nola
This is something that all restaurants should consider…
Dimmi, Australia’s first real-time online restaurant reservations service has proven to be a big hit amongst Aussie diners with over 50,000 diners using its service to make their restaurant reservations online, since it was launched late last year. Dimmi allows diners to make an instantly confirmed reservation at almost 1,000 of the country’s leading restaurants across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Diners can book via one of Dimmi’s booking partners or a restaurant’s own website. More details can be found at www.dimmi.com.au
Research conducted amongst Australian consumers in December 2009 found that while three million** people in Australia search for restaurants online every month, only 24 percent* have ever tried to make a restaurant reservation online. By contrast, in San Francisco, 43% of restaurant bookings are made online every day. The research also found that 62%* of Australian consumers had become frustrated when trying to book restaurants by phone because they don’t answer or are often engaged.
For more information dimmis-on-line-restaurant-reservation
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February 15th, 2010 nola
The biggest gathering of qualified industry professionals in Sydney this year.
Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre | Darling Harbour | 21 - 23 June 2010
If you want to meet and do business with qualified decision makers from restaurants, cafes, pubs & clubs, hospitals, canteens, the armed forces, caterers, hotels, aged care facilities, pizza & takeaways…
In fact anywhere that food & drink are served outside of the home.
For more information on exhibiting at FoodService Australia 2010, please contact Clifford Fairbrass on (02) 9556 7972 or Click Here.
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February 15th, 2010 nola
Since its launch in 2004, the prestigious Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards has been uncovering and celebrating Australia’s finest producers and suppliers.
The awards acknowledge those who are committed to quality and consistency in what they grow and create, and food lovers who promote small producers through restaurants, providores and markets. Now bigger than ever, the 2010 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards are open for nominations.
Nominate your favourite Australian producer and win a prize worth over $5,000
Nominate your favourite producers for the 2010 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards and win a two-night package for two, worth over $5,000, at luxury Queensland resort Qualia. For more information and to nominate, see categories below, simply email produce@vogueentertaining.com.au
http://www.taste.com.au/news+features/articles/1288/2010+vogue+entertaining+travel+produce+awards
Award categories
The regional award
Food heritage/ sustainability award
Best new product
Consistently excellent product
From the earth
From the dairy
From the paddock
From the sea
Producer of the year
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February 12th, 2010 nola
Commercialisation Australia is offering funding to assist researchers, individuals, and small companies new to commercialisation to access specialist advice and services to build their skills, knowledge and linkages. Case Managers and Volunteer Business Mentors will assist companies to access the specialist advice they need.
Skills and Knowledge offers funding up to $50,000 to purchase specialist advice and services. Applicants need to match funding on an 80:20 basis, where the applicant funds 20% of the costs. The maximum duration for Skills and Knowledge funding is two years for companies and one year for researchers and individuals.
Skills and Knowledge will fund activities related to obtaining specialist advice and services to assist in the commercialisation process.
Examples of specialist advice and services include:
• Business planning
• Commercialisation
• IP management
• Management development
• Linkages (collaborations/partnerships)
For information:-
aic-commercialisation-australia-customer-information-guide
aic-commercialisation-australia-pre-application-checklist
aic-early-stage-commercialisation-fact-sheet
aic-experienced-executives-fact-sheet
aic-skills-and-knowledge-fact-sheet
aic-proof-of-concept-fact-sheet1
Contact:-
Robert Buhrke
Innovation Coach - Cairns Centre
Australian Institute for Commercialisation
t: 07 4057 3015 f: 07 4048 1122 m: 04 3132 8874
e. Robert.Buhrke@ausicom.com
w. www.ausicom.com
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February 11th, 2010 nola
The call is out for Tableland growers and food processors to promote their wares as part of a whole-of-Government push for a more focused approach to regional agri-food tourism.
Two complimentary food-focused projects being run by Advance Cairns, with funding from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and the Federal government’s AusIndustry TQUAL initiative, will position Tropical North Queensland as an emerging tropical agri-food tourism destination by building an alternative tourism theme for the region, based on tropical agri-food experiences.
Advance Cairns Food Project Officer Sue Fairley, who is based on the Tableland, said, “There is an overwhelming diversity of what is grown and processed in this region; however we are also aware there are many other growers and producers out there that we could be supporting, assisting and linking to existing and potentially new market opportunities.”
“For example, with Organics being identified as a significant world trend, we are keen to assist in the development and promotion of organic, bio-dynamic, permaculture and bio-diverse farming,” Ms Fairley said. “Also, the region’s top chefs are very interested to source new products for their menus, and that was evident recently during the two chefs’ tours of the Tablelands and the Cassowary Coast where dozens of chefs were able to sample the region’s produce first-hand and fresh from the farm.”
Ms Fairley said there were constant inquires for all sorts of food produce for retail markets, wholesale, processors and chefs, and has urged all growers and producers no matter how small and specialised, to make themselves known. For more information contact Sue Fairley on 4095 3062 or email fairleys@bigpond.com
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February 8th, 2010 nola
Serious about Safe Businesses?
In February Workplace Health and Safety Queensland will be facilitating two workshops in Cairns relating to safety management for small to medium sized businesses.
The details of which are listed below:
Workshop: Managing for Safety - Getting Started
Date: Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Workshop: Managing for Safety - Tools and Techniques
Date: Thursday, 18 February 2010
Time: 9:30am - 2:30pm
Contact:-
Kylie Hogan
Small Business Advisor (WHS)
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
T: 07 47607986
M: 0428 980 824
F: 07 47607959
E: kylie.hogan@justice.qld.gov.au
For further information:-
whs-cairns-17th-february-2010
whs-cairns-18-february-2010
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February 8th, 2010 nola
In December 2009, The Australian Government Department of Resources, Engergy and Tourism announced a successful TQUAL grant of over $440,000 for the Cairns region.
To Develop and Position Tropical North Queensland as an Emerging Agri-Food Tourism Destination.
The project was initiated by Australian Tropical Foods through Advance Cairns in collaboration with the Southern Cross University. It will commence in February 2010 and end by April 2011.
Project Description:-
The project will build an alternative tourism theme for the region, based on tropical agri-food experiences, long term strategic approach, with a clearly targeted action plan to assist existing businesses to adapt, and new enterprises to emerge.
This project will provide the framework for a complimentary product and experience cluster to establish over time, preparing the region for the anticipated impact of climate change on the reef and dispersing visitation into the broader region.
Funding will be used for research, developing action plans to implement the food strategy; building capacity; developing and delivering a regional food brand and marketing strategy.
Activities of the Project include:-
Further workshop development of the Agri-Tourism Industry by Southern Cross University
Branding the region’s food & wine products
Accreditation of Products
SME Skills Training
GPS Food Trail Maps
Paddock to Plate development
Major Food & Wine Event
Trade Show Opportunities
Media Coverage
TQ & TTNQ Marketing Support
For more information: contact Nola Craig T: 0409 593 958
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February 6th, 2010 nola
Check out Nola’s new blog. Here are the articles written in Nola’s Food Diary for The Cairns Post Saturdays The Weekend Post in The Weekender lift-out.
Go to http://australiantropicalfoods.blogspot.com/
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February 6th, 2010 nola
Eighteen Chefs got out of their kitchen and onto a Chef’s Tour of the Tablelands in search of local produce. This tour in December 2009 was the first in a series of four tours to get more regional food on menus of the restaurants of Tropical North Queensland.
The chefs were amazed at the diversity of produce that ranges from tropical to subtropical fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, dairy, meat and indigenous roducts.
The Chefs were from Salsa and Zinc from Port Douglas, Sebel Reef House and Nu Nu’s from Palm Cove, Ochre, Oliver’s fine food, Salthouse, Tjapukai, Tha Fish, TAFE, from Cairns and Eden House and Nicks from Yungaburra.
They visited a herb farm in Kuranda, fruit and vegetable farms and Skybury Coffee Plantation in Paddy’s Green, Morganbury Meats and Mt Uncle Distillery at Walkamin, Gallo’s Dairyland in Malanda, Happy Beef/Pork at Lake Eacham and Emerald Creek Ice-creamery at Mareeba. At lunch at Eden House in Yungaburra other products of the region were displayed - Rainforest Bounty, Wondaree Macadamias and Sunset Ridge Fingerlimes.
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