New regulations requiring fund-raising barbecues to be overseen by ''food safety supervisors'' provoked a mixed reaction from charities and sports clubs on the weekend, with one organisation warning against overzealous enforcement.
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The ACT government last month introduced regulations requiring volunteer groups to train one of their members as a food safety supervisor if they hold five or more barbecues in a year.
The person must be contactable while the barbecue is being run, and must be able to liaise with government health officials.
Volunteer groups must pay up to $150 for the training of each food safety supervisor. News of the new regulations was greeted with concern from the organisers of several fund-raising barbecues on the weekend.
Lifeline Canberra were using a sausage sizzle and coffee van to raise money in Fyshwick as part of their broader fund-raising efforts.
Chief executive Mike Zissler said he recognised the purpose of the new food safety regulations was very important.
But Mr Zissler said he would not want to see the new regulations too strictly enforced, particularly for smaller groups such as football teams and sports clubs.
''They've got a very important job and I support their job,'' Mr Zissler said.
''But I wouldn't want overzealous bureaucracy getting in the way of good fund-raising in a fun and healthy way.''
He said his organisation already trained volunteers on food handling and hygiene.
Like many small sporting clubs, the Diamond Phoenix Dragon Boat Club were out on the weekend selling sausages to raise funds for the dragon boating national championships in Caloundra next year.
Club member Belinda Duffy said the cost of training the food safety supervisor may prove to be a burden for the club, which faces a significant bill to take its large team to the championships.
''It's definitely an expense … that's obviously money that could go to helping train people for other things,'' Ms Duffy said. ''We'd do it if we needed to do it, but it just means there's funds we're not able to use for other equipment.''
