Personal Injury Law

Australian restaurants will soon be playing the name-and-shame game

By Dr. Doug Powell

When I think of Australia I think of the hilarious TV show Summer Heights High. Although the mockumentary about high school students takes place in Melbourne, I can't help but picture angry food operators in Adelaide saying 'puck you' to unfavorable health inspections.

According to AdelaideNow, food premises in Adelaide that do not adhere to the Food Act will be name-and-shamed publicly. Prior to this decision restaurant inspection results in Adelaide were not available to the public.  

Mr MacPherson, [Acting Ombudsman], quoted the overwhelming public desire for the information to be released…

He continued,

"In reaching this conclusion I consider that there is a public interest in promoting safe and hygienic practices within restaurants and in diners being able to make informed choices about where they eat.'

"Eighty-six per cent of 1268 participants in a survey linked to an online version (AdelaideNow) of an article that appeared in The Advertiser on 11 May, 2009, agree that information identifying infringing restaurants should be disclosed publicly."

Full post as published by BarfBlog on June 12, 2009 (boomark / email).