Purpose:

The purpose of this Act is to establish standards for meat production for human consumption and pet food, set up a licensing and inspection system, and a mechanism for adopting and implementing quality assurance programs to maintain these standards.

Objectives:

• To set standards for meat production for human consumption and pet food.
• To establish a licensing and inspection system for the meat industry.
• To create a mechanism for adopting and implementing quality assurance programs to ensure standards are maintained.
• To enable the regulation of meat transport vehicles.
• To establish PrimeSafe (formerly Victorian Meat Authority) to operate the licensing and inspection system and manage quality assurance programs.
• To empower PrimeSafe to perform functions conferred by the Seafood Safety Act 2003.

Key Provisions:

• Meat inspection services: The Authority (PrimeSafe) provides and approves inspection services for licensed meat processing facilities, recovering inspection fees.
• Quality assurance programs: Allows for the approval and monitoring of quality assurance programs for meat processing facilities, with the Minister able to require such programs for certain premises and the Authority able to mandate audits.
• Codes of Practice: Empowers the Authority to make and revoke Codes of Practice, which must be approved by the Minister and complied with by licensees.
• Licensing system: Establishes a system for licensing meat processing facilities and sets out application requirements, conditions, renewal, variation, suspension, and cancellation of licences.
• Operator responsibilities: Defines the roles and duties of nominated operators within licensed meat processing facilities.
• Duties concerning meat processing facilities: Outlines offences related to record-keeping, chemical and disease testing, unauthorised meat removal, handling diseased meat, unauthorised facility alterations, and bans on the sale of certain meats for human or pet consumption.
• Meat transport vehicle regulation: Prohibits the use or ownership of unlicensed meat transport vehicles and breaches of their licence conditions.
• Establishment of PrimeSafe: Details the establishment, functions, powers, and accountability of PrimeSafe as the regulatory authority.
• Enforcement powers: Grants powers to inspectors and the chief executive officer for enforcement, including entry, search, seizure, directions, and the ability to obtain enforcement orders.
• Regulations power: Provides the Governor in Council with the power to make detailed regulations concerning facility standards, inspection procedures, licensing, branding, and other operational aspects of the meat industry.

Evidence of Compliance Requirements For Agricultural Organisations:

• Licence Application:
  • Applications must be in writing using an Authority-approved form.
  • Applications must be accompanied by the appropriate fee fixed by the Authority.
  • For corporations/partnerships, the name of the nominated operator must be included.
  • For declared facilities, a proposed quality assurance program for the facilities must be included.
  • Evidence must be provided that the nominated operator (if applicable) and the applicant are “fit and proper persons” (addressing character, honesty, integrity, business associations, and suitability of associated officers).
  • Applicants must provide any additional information reasonably required by the Authority.
• Quality Assurance Programs:
  • Facilities declared by the Minister must have an Authority-approved quality assurance program.
  • Programs must include strategies to maintain Act/regulation standards (except where inconsistent requirements are exempted by the program).
  • Programs must ensure facilities comply with any applicable Code of Practice approved by the Minister and specified in the program.
  • Programs must include strategies for implementing applicable approved Codes of Practice.
  • Programs must include strategies for monitoring compliance with the program.
  • Licensees must keep written records of checks and inspections made under the program.
  • For declared facilities, programs must include strategies for the training of staff in food handling.
  • Licensees of declared facilities with a quality assurance program may be required by the Authority to have the program audited. Such requirements are in writing, may be one-off or at specified frequencies (e.g., annually), must specify minimum qualifications/experience for the auditor, may impose restrictions on auditor suitability, and must specify how, when, and by whom audit results are to be reported to the Authority.
• Compliance with Codes of Practice:
  • Licensees must comply with any applicable Code of Practice.
• Licence Maintenance:
  • Licensees must comply with any conditions or restrictions specified in their licence.
  • If requested by the Authority, licensees must produce their licence to the Authority for variations to be noted on it. (Penalty: 50 penalty units for non-compliance).
• Compliance with Other Laws:
  • Licensees must comply with any other applicable Act or statutory instrument when establishing or operating a meat processing facility.
• Display of Names:
  • Licensees must ensure the name of the licensee’s operator and the licensee are displayed at the main entrance to each meat processing facility covered by the licence. (Penalty: 50 penalty units for non-compliance).
• Record-Keeping:
  • For each licensed meat processing facility, the licensee must keep a record book.
  • The record book must contain prescribed information about the business carried on at the facility.
  • The record book must contain any information about the business that the Authority reasonably requires to be recorded, as notified to the licensee. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
• Testing for Chemicals and Disease:
  • Licensees, managers, or operators of meat processing facilities must obey written directions from the Secretary to carry out specified tests for chemical residues and listed diseases or conditions on animals or meat in their possession, at an approved laboratory.
  • Directions may require taking, delivery, and testing of samples.
  • Directions may prohibit the destruction or removal of animals from the facility. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
• Meat Storage and Removal:
  • Persons must not remove meat, which an inspector has directed to be stored at a particular place at a meat processing facility, from that storage place until the meat has been inspected, unless with an inspector’s permission. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
• Handling Diseased Animals/Meat:
  • Persons must not accept for delivery at a meat processing facility a consumable animal they know or ought reasonably to have known is suffering from a listed disease or condition, or is otherwise unfit for human consumption, without an inspector’s permission. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
  • If a person is asked to accept delivery of such an animal and doing so would contravene the above, the person must report the request to an inspector as soon as possible. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
• Facility Alterations:
  • Licensees must not make structural alterations or additions to any part of a building used for a meat processing facility without the approval of the Authority. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• Sale of Meat for Human Consumption:
  • Persons must not sell or dispose of meat (excluding poultry/game meat or exempted meat) for human consumption unless it is from a consumable animal slaughtered at a licensed meat processing facility (or equivalent in another State/Territory) and processed at such a facility, and inspected/branded or certified as fit for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not sell or dispose of poultry meat for human consumption unless the poultry was slaughtered and processed at a licensed meat processing facility (or equivalent in another State/Territory), and if imported into Victoria, certified fit for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not sell game meat for human consumption unless processed at a licensed meat processing facility (or equivalent in another State/Territory), and if imported into Victoria, certified fit for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not dispose of game meat for human consumption unless processed at a licensed meat processing facility (or equivalent in another State/Territory, or a facility solely processing game not for sale), and if imported (except from a facility solely processing game not for sale), certified fit for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• Sale or Slaughter of Non-Consumable Animals:
  • Persons must not sell meat from an animal that is not a consumable animal for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must comply with any conditions or restrictions on an exemption Order for selling specified meat. (Penalty: First offence: 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not slaughter an animal that is not a consumable animal for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not slaughter a prescribed consumable animal for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• Sale of Meat from Knackery/Pet Food Facilities:
  • Persons must not sell or dispose of a carcass from a knackery or boiling down works for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not sell meat that has been kept or processed at a pet food processing facility for human consumption. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • At a butcher shop, a person must not sell any meat unfit for human consumption, unless it is properly manufactured, processed, packaged, and labelled pet food sold in an unopened container. (Penalty: First offence: 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence: 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• Sale of Meat for Pet Food:
  • Persons must not sell or dispose of meat processed in Victoria for consumption as pet food unless it has been inspected in accordance with the Act/regulations, and any required procedures before sale/disposal have been complied with. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not sell or dispose of meat brought into Victoria for consumption as pet food unless it has been certified as fit for consumption as pet food in accordance with the laws of another State or Territory. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
• Slaughter at Unlicensed Premises:
  • Persons must not slaughter a consumable animal, dress its carcass, or process game or poultry for human consumption at an unlicensed meat processing facility. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• Branding:
  • Persons must not supply or remove meat from a meat processing facility unless it is from a carcass branded as fit for human consumption (or certified in another State/Territory) or made unusable for human consumption according to regulations (does not apply to game or poultry meat). (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not remove game meat from a game processing facility (other than a field depot or harvest vehicle) unless it is branded as fit for human consumption (or certified in another State/Territory) or made unusable for human consumption according to regulations. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units or 12 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not, without authorisation, manufacture or possess a prescribed brand (or one appearing to be prescribed), brand meat, remove/deface a brand, or permit these actions. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• Operating Unlicensed Facilities:
  • Persons must not operate any kind of meat processing facility unless licensed for that purpose. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
  • Persons must not sell by retail meat for pet food at a place or vehicle that is not a meat processing facility licensed for that purpose. (Penalty: First offence 100 penalty units; Subsequent offence 500 penalty units or 24 months imprisonment or both).
• False Information:
  • Persons must not include information they know or ought reasonably to have known is false or misleading in a material respect in any document given to the Authority or an inspector under this Act or regulations. (Penalty: 50 penalty units).
• Meat Transport Vehicles:
  • Persons must not use or own a vehicle required by regulations to be licensed for conveying carcass, meat, or seafood intended for human consumption unless it is licensed. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units).
  • Holders of a meat transport vehicle licence must not use or allow the use of a licensed vehicle in breach of any licence condition or restriction. (Penalty: First offence 50 penalty units; Subsequent offence 100 penalty units).
• Cooperation with Enforcement:
  • Persons must not obstruct, threaten, or intimidate an inspector or their assistant. (Penalty: 20 penalty units).
  • Persons must not, without lawful excuse, fail to comply with a prohibition, direction, or request of an inspector. (Penalty: 20 penalty units).
  • Persons must comply with written notices from the chief executive officer, which may direct removal of animals/meat, or prohibit facility/vehicle use for specified purposes. (Penalty: 50 penalty units).

Metadata Keywords:

Meat industry, food safety, licensing, inspection, quality assurance, PrimeSafe, Victoria, agriculture, animal welfare, public health.

Publication Information:

Publication date and version number: Authorised Version No. 050, incorporating amendments as at 17 April 2025.

Agricultural Industry Alignment:

Beef & Veal, Chicken, Pig, Sheep Meat, Game (rabbit, hare, kangaroo, goat), Horse, Donkey, Ostrich, Deer.

Date Added to database:

This document was parsed and added to the database on 26-07-2025

URL:

https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-04/93-40aa050-authorised.pdf →