‘Australian-made’ fish’s long journey from the Atlantic Ocean
FISH caught in the Atlantic Ocean are being sold here as being “Made in Australia” because they are repackaged in this country.
FISH caught in the Atlantic Ocean by South Korean and Chinese trawlers and processed in China and New Zealand are being sold here as being “Made in Australia” because they are repackaged in this country.
The revelations came as schools across the nation sent warning letters to parents revealing canteens and after-school programs had used Nanna’s mixed frozen berries to feed the students.
Thousands of Australians yesterday flooded doctor surgeries seeking blood tests to determine if they had Hepatitis A in the wake of the imported contamination scandal.
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Slater and Gordon senior lawyer Andrew Baker said: “We have heard from about 100 people who have been in touch with their doctors and are awaiting test results or who have been diagnosed with hepatitis A.”
He said the firm was looking to launch a class action against the frozen berries importer to compensate the people for pain and suffering and economic loss.
Deakin University student Allanah Richardson, 20, said she had been diagnosed with hepatitis A after eating Nanna’s mixed frozen berries in smoothies as part of a health kick.
“Ironically now I feel worse. The doctor has told me to expect to feel bad for up to three months.”
The blowtorch was yesterday planted on the federal government, which failed to increase screening mechanisms in the wake of outbreaks across Europe and North America last year and in 2013.
The Daily Telegraph’s Fair Dinkum Labels campaign intensified yesterday after independent senator Nick Xenophon revealed senate estimates hearings had been told frozen fish and fish fingers had a history of being “flogged off” as “Made in Australia” despite being caught and processed in Asia.
The Telegraph campaign is pushing to improve product labelling so it tells consumers where their food has been sourced from.
Senator Xenophon intends to grill senior government figures at senate estimates hearings next week.
He said the government was already aware of fish labelling rorts.
“Fish caught from a Korean trawler in the Atlantic Ocean was sent to China for processing, then went to New Zealand for reprocessing, then sent to Australia,’’ he said.
“Because it was sent to Australia and repacked because of our substantial transformation rules, the very act of repacking, the labour involved in the packaging, was more than 51 per cent therefore it could be called Made in Australia.’’
Both Senator Xenophon and the opposition claimed the government had failed to act after contaminations in the northern hemisphere last year.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed a national health incident room remained open and all products would be screened until the government deemed it safe.
“There is also an urgent review of our screening,’’ he said.
However, he would not commit to wholesale changes of labelling and biosecurity.
Schools urged parents to monitor their children and provided information numbers for any parents who had concerns.
Thirteen people have contracted Hepatitis A in the wake of the frozen berries scandal.
Originally published as ‘Australian-made’ fish’s long journey from the Atlantic Ocean
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