7.4.1.3 Government
The government sector may benefit from the material improvement in the safety of seafood products under this option, compared with the status quo, because the lower incidence of food-borne illness should result in lower utilisation of public health services. While this is a true benefit to government, it may not translate into lower public expenditure. For example, public hospitals have an obligation to provide health care for the whole community and for a broad range of ailments and medical emergencies, and will respond to lower utilisation of their services from food-borne illness by providing quicker/enhanced services to patients with other ailments. In practical terms the benefits to government could be small43. However, government will benefit in terms of greater consumer confidence in the ability to ensure a safe food supply.
Mandating specific requirements for bivalve molluscs in the Code will provide government with a more appropriate legislative basis for regulation i.e. the approach is centred on food safety rather than existing aquaculture legislation that focuses on licensing rather than food safety. It will ensure a single, national approach to the safe production these higher risk products.
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