Environmental Health

Food safety is very important and we work to avoid safety issues wherever we can.

Every food business in the Southern Midlands is regularly visited by Environmental Health Officers. They check each business serves safe food by the law. 

We also:

• regularly inspect food businesses to make sure they follow the Food Act 2003
• scientifically sample food to check it is safe to eat
• provide food safety information
• take part in the School Food Matters ‘SmartFood Program’
• investigate when people eat food that makes them sick
• give food safety training to people through our online food safety training tool 

New Food Safety Standard coming in 2023

A new National Food Safety Standard applying in Tasmania will begin on 8 December 2023.

The Standard introduces new requirements for food service, catering, and retail business that handle unpackaged, read-to-eat, potentially hazardous foods. It introduces three ‘tools’ for certain food service, caterer and retail businesses:

• food handler training requirements
• appoint a food safety supervisor
• record keeping of key safe food handling practices

Relevant businesses will receive an email outlining which of the new requirements apply to their business and the actions they need to take to comply by 8 December 2023. Southern Midlands Council Environmental Health Officers will also discuss them with you over the coming months during routine food safety inspections.

Further information and resources are available on the Department of Health website or by calling 1800 671 738.

Food Safety Supervisor (FFS) Training Courses

The Tasmanian Department of Health website includes the following information for finding an FSS course:

• TasTAFE is an RTO offering FSS training in Tasmania in a mixed format (online with face-to-face assessment):
  • tastafe.tas.edu.au or phone 1300 655 307
• Various RTOs offering online-only courses are listed on the NSW Food Authority and SA Health websites:
  • NSW list: foodauthority.nsw.gov.au
  • SA list: Go to sahealth.sa.gov.au and search for ‘food safety supervisor certification’.
• Alternatively, search for training courses or RTOs via the National Training Register:
  • training.gov.au

If you have completed training in the past 5 years, review your Statement of Attainment/certificate to see if you have already completed the required units with an RTO.

For more information: health.tas.gov.au/food-safety-supervisor

Keep food safe

Important ways to keep food safe include:

• safe temperatures for cooking and storage
• keeping food areas clean
• stopping cross contamination
• washing hands.

Food safety information

If your business is handling food, you can use these food safety resources:

Cleaning schedule
Food business handwashing 
Temperature monitoring chart 

Food labelling

To make selling food safe for everybody there are rules that businesses must follow when it comes to food labelling. You need to consider how you will package and label your food, as people buying your food need to know what’s in it.

View the food labelling information sheet.

It is important to check the food label when buying food every time you purchase a product. Even if it has been a ‘safe’ food in the past, manufacturers can change ingredients and processes at any time.

View the Food Allergy Labelling Requirements

Running a restaurant

If you want to sell food from a building in the Southern Midlands area, you need to apply for a fixed premises licence and pay a fee.

View the food business registration form
View the Schedule of Fees and Charges 
Environmental Health Food Business Construction Guide Jan 2024

Please note:

• We will let you know what the registration fee is when you apply to register your food business.
• We need to inspect your kitchen, please get in touch to organise a time.
• If you want to build a new kitchen, we have some helpful advice in our food business construction guide (PDF).
• If you are taking over an existing business that sells food, it is a good idea to get us to have a look before you buy. There is a fee, but it could save you money because we will tell you if there are any problems. When you buy a business that sells food, these problems will become your problem.
• Whether you are taking over an existing food business, you will need to fill in our application forms because you can’t use the old food business licence.

Mobile food business

Mobile Food Business Registration

An annual mobile food business registration is approval under the Food Act 2003 to operate a food van or stall across Tasmania and is renewed every financial year. You will need to apply to be registered with the local Council where you garage your food van or store your stall equipment. To apply for a mobile food business registration with Southern Midlands Council, complete and submit the following application form

The completed form can be emailed to mail@southernmidlands.tas.gov.au  or submitted at the Council service counter. Once the application has been assessed and the food van or stall has been inspected, a risk classification will be assigned, and you will be invoiced for the associated fee.

While the registration grants approval to trade as a food business under the Food Act 2003, it does not cover approval for specific trading locations. See below for further information.

Mobile Food Business Guidelines

Mobile food vans and stalls must be set up and operated in accordance with the Guidelines for Mobile Food Businesses developed by the Tasmanian Department of Health. This document outlines the design, construction and fit-out of food vans and stalls and also their operational requirements.

Mobile Food Business Trading Locations

Events and markets are good opportunities to trade with a mobile food business and will usually only require the approval of the market or event coordinator. Most events and markets are happy to accept both food vans and stalls.

For a mobile food business to trade on Council land outside of events and markets, it must have the following approvals:

Be a registered food van or similar vehicle. Stalls are not permitted.
Have a current registration as a mobile food business under the Food Act 2003.
Have a current Council roadside trading permit
Approved locations as per Appendix 1 – Mobile Food Vendors Policy
For more information on roadside trading permits, consult the Mobile Food Business Guidelines or call Council and ask to speak to someone in the planning department prior to completing a Mobile Food Business Permit.

Temporary Mobile Food Businesses

Trading on private land with a mobile food business outside of events and markets may require planning approval. For more information, call Council and ask to speak to someone in the Planning department.

If you are planning a once-off food event, then you can apply to be registered for one day or more using the above application form.

Temporary food business

If you are having a barbeque to raise money for your sports team or charity on a given day, or a market or event that runs for a few weeks or even months, you need to apply for a short-term licence and pay a fee.

View the application form 
View the Schedule of Fees and Charges

For information on how to set up your temporary food business, you can view the Department of Health and Human Service’s stall and equipment guide.

Closing a food business/ Change of ownership

If your business no longer requires a food license (due to closure or change of use) please notify the Environmental Health department of the change. You can email the details to health@southernmidlands.tas.gov.au or contact your Environmental Health Officer at Council.

Please note food business licenses are NOT transferable.

You may be eligible for a partial refund on your registration. Talk to your Environmental Health Officer and complete the refund form.

Change of ownership

If you are taking over an existing business that sells food, it is a good idea to get us to have a look before you buy. There is a fee, but it could save you money because we will tell you if there are any problems. When you buy a business that sells food, these problems will become your problem.

If you are taking over an existing food business, you will need to fill in our application forms because you can’t use the old food business licence.

Lodge a Food Complaint

Please contact our Environmental Health Department if you wish to lodge a complaint to council against a business in the Southern Midlands Municipality if you have:

Suffered an illness as a result of consuming food purchased from their premises
Found a foreign object (for example, glass, insect, etc) in food purchased from their premises
Concerns about poor food preparation, handling or display practices at their premises
Concerns about the cleanliness of their premises
Contact us to Lodge a Complaint

What is immunisation?

Immunisation refers to both receiving a vaccine and becoming 'immune' to a disease as a result of that vaccination.

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting children and adults against certain diseases. It stimulates the body’s natural defence mechanism – the "immune response" – to develop resistance to specific infections/disease without having to be exposed to the disease itself. If/when a person comes into contact with that disease in the future, the body will respond fast enough to either prevent the disease developing or ensure the person only receives a “mild” dose of the illness.

Routine vaccination is now available for many once prevalent and often deadly diseases. For more information on immunisation; vaccines available; and for answers to many frequently asked questions about immunisation, please click on the following link to the Australian Government’s Immunise Australia web page.

Council does not hold regular immunisation clinics for infants however Mr Michael Lees in Oatlands undertake immunisations (by appointment).

School Immunisations

Council undertakes an annual school immunisation program at the two high schools within the Southern Midlands for both Grade 7 and Grade 10 students. This is a free service.

Immunisations are provided in accordance with the National Immunisation Program, information of which is available at the National Immunise Program Schedule.

Records

Council keeps records for vaccinations provided through the school immunisation program, a copy of which is available free of charge from Council’s Kempton office.

For further information please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officer, at Council’s Development & Environmental Services office, located at Kempton.

On-site wastewater management systems are used for the treatment of wastewater in those areas where connection to a reticulated sewerage scheme is not available. sewage.

Prior to installation of a domestic on-site wastewater management system approval must be obtained from Council. This is achieved by gaining the expertise of a suitably qualified person to undertake a site and soil evaluation and design a system for you. This report must then be submitted to Council with a Special Plumbing Permit application.

Please note that the installation of an on-site wastewater system must only occur after a Special Plumbing Permit and Plumbing Permit has been applied for and approved by Council.

Once the system is installed the owner must ensure that it complies with all conditions placed on the permit, and that it does not create a nuisance.

Council does not have a By-Law in relation to Incinerators/Backyard Burning, and this means that the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Distributed Atmospheric Emissions) Regulations 2007 cover backyard burning in the open and in incinerators.

A pamphlet summarising the provisions relating to backyard burning can be reached through the following link Backyard Burning Pamphlet

Heat Pumps (reverse cycle air conditioners) are designed and built to Australian Standards in order to minimise inherently noisy designs entering the market. The sound output of each unit will usually be indicated on a descriptive plate as a Sound Pressure Level, for example 50dB(A). Before installing a heat pump the effects of noise from the unit on your property, as well as neighbouring properties should be considered. Noise problems usually occur when the effects of noise emission from the outdoor unit are not carefully considered when selecting its location, such as facing the unit directly at a neighbour’s window.

Heat Pump Installation Guidelines

Excessive noise can be considered an environmental nuisance and is legislated under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Noise) Regulations 2016

Regulations about the permitted hours of use for particular types of vehicles, machinery, equipment, heat pumps, and music for further information can be found on the EPA website. 

Noise Complaints Fact Sheet

Who deals with noise Complaints

Noise pollution or nuisance is generally investigated by Council's Environmental Health Officer during normal office hours and Tasmania Police after hours and on weekends.  You also have the option of calling the Environmental Protection Authority for repeated noise issues.

How to make a Complaint

A complaint must be in writing and include the address where the noise is coming from, be able to describe the sort of noise, its volume, duration and other relevant information. You should also attempt to keep a history, log or diary of the noise, as this will assist the investigation and may be considered evidence in some cases.

What will Council do about the Noise

When dealing with noise complaints Council strongly encourage both parties to discuss the issue before becoming involved.  Sometimes the creator of the noise does not even realise that they are causing a problem and the matter can often be resolved at this point without Council or police involvement. 

Council Officers will first attempt to discuss the issue with the other party.  If negotiations fail or the noise nuisance continues then Council will take whatever action deemed necessary under the Act.

In some circumstances, Council may require the complaint attendance in court.

For further information please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officer, at Council’s Development & Environmental Services office, located at Kempton.

Under section 199 of the LGA, a nuisance is anything that:

causes, or is likely to cause, danger or harm to the health, safety or welfare of the public; or
causes, or is likely to cause, a risk to public health; or
gives rise to unreasonable or excessive levels of noise or pollution; or
is, or is likely to be, a fire risk; or
constitutes an unsightly article or rubbish.

A place of assembly is required for any mass outdoor public event. This means an event with over 1000 people for 2 hours or more. It may be any performance, exhibition, circus, festival, food festival, pageant, regatta, sports event, dance or publicly advertised lecture.

If you are planning to operate an event of that size and nature, or you are planning to lease a property as a place of assembly, you need to apply for a place of assembly licence.

Place of Assembly Fact Sheet

Water Carrier Application Form