The nation's food ministers have failed to make the big decisions to address Australia's obesity problem and the health and social costs of alcohol, health groups say.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
State and territory food ministers have signed off on the introduction of mandatory pregnancy warning labels on alcohol but followed the Federal Government's lead in rejecting the ''traffic light'' system of food labelling.
The traffic light system of colour coding would tell a consumer, at a glance, if the food had high, medium or low amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt.
Instead, ministers have agreed that public health, consumer and industry groups be consulted in the development of an alternative front-of-pack labelling system, which is to be considered in June and is hoped to be in place by the end of next year.
They also want to give industry two years before making pregnancy warning labels on alcohol mandatory.
The Public Health Association of Australia accused the food ministers of refusing to put the health of the community ahead of the interests of big business.
Chief executive Michael Moore said, ''The acceptance of industry self-regulation is effectively a sop to a softened approach when there are issues that need to be tackled vigorously.''
Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton said the Government had caved in to industry pressure to put self-regulation ahead of legislated action to protect people's health.
''The fox has been left guarding the henhouse,'' Dr Hambleton said.
Health agencies the Alcohol Policy Coalition and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education said the introduction of ''appropriate labelling'' about the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, with regulation in two years' time, was a welcome first step.