Melbourne restaurants: Why diners might be eating at dirty eateries
Diners are unknowingly eating meals made at filthy Melbourne restaurants or cafes fined for food safety breaches. And it takes months for them to discover an eatery’s grubby ways — if at all. Here’s why.
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Four inner city businesses have been fined by Melbourne councils for food safety slip-ups since the coronavirus outbreak began.
But Melburnians can’t find out who they are — and the eateries busted for more significant offences — due to government rules preventing immediate naming and shaming.
Under the state’s Food Act, businesses penalised for food safety offences can only be listed on the state’s register if councils decide to take them to court and they are convicted.
They are then listed after any hearings or legal challenges are completed, meaning details of dirty eateries and their offences can be published months after they happened.
A Leader survey of eight inner city councils found four businesses had been fined for food safety breaches since March.
They included three businesses in the City of Boroondara and an unregistered Kensington business in the City of Moonee Valley, which copped an $826 fine.
Boroondara Council spokeswoman Carolyn McClean said the three businesses were fined for breaches related to food storage and display, cleaning, maintenance items and operating without a Food Act registration.
Ms McLean said individuals were fined $826 and companies fined $1625 in line with the state’s Infringements Act.
The Leader understands both councils are unlikely to press further charges.
“If there has been critical noncompliance or an immediate risk to public health and safety, council will consider pursuing prosecution or closure,” Ms McLean said.
“In line with Victorian Government guidelines, a business can only be named for breaches once a conviction has been recorded on the Food Safety Register of Convictions.”
The most recent conviction on the state’s register was on February 25, with shut down Camberwell pizza joint Pepperonis fined almost $30,000 for poor kitchen hygiene and other breaches.
According to the register, the offending took place almost a year earlier on March 14, 2019.
A Department of Health spokesman said the department had to follow a range of legal, administrative and verification requirements before it published a conviction on the register, where it remained for 12 months.
The process involves verifying court and council paperwork, informing parties of the listing and giving them time to respond.
“We expect restaurants and food premises to serve food that is safe and hygienic, and breaches are prosecuted by local government,” the spokesman said.
Stonnington, Port Phillip and Moreland councils have not recorded any food safety offences since March, while Melbourne City Council, which was sent a Freedom Of Information request, also hasn’t dished out any fines.
Yarra and Maribyrnong Councils did not respond to inquiries.
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