Advertisement

Food lobbyist link rejected

Food lobbyist link rejected

An Abbott Government minister has fended off suggestions her chief of staff - a former lobbyist for junk food companies - had interfered in plans to roll out a new food labelling system.

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said yesterday she ordered the health star rating website to be taken down last Wednesday, just eight hours after it was launched, because it would confuse consumers. Health groups were upset by the website's removal.

The website is part of moves to make food manufacturers include star ratings on packaging so consumers can see how healthy products are, but the industry has been resistant.

State and Federal ministers responsible for food regulation endorsed the use of the health star calculator at its meeting in December.

In question time yesterday, Labor Senate leader Penny Wong asked Senator Nash whether there had been a breach of the ministerial code of conduct because of the involvement of her top aide, Alastair Furnival.

Mr Furnival is a former chairman of Australian Public Affairs. Federal Parliament's lobbyists register shows the company's clients include the Australian Beverages Council and Mondelez Australia, whose brands include Kraft and Cadbury. The register lists the company's owner as Tracey Ann Cain, who Senator Nash confirmed was Mr Furnival's wife.

Ms Cain told _The West Australian _Mr Furnival left Australian Public Affairs in September and has had no role in the organisation since.

"Since the Abbott Government's election, APA has not lobbied the Health Department, any Health agencies, or either of the health ministers or their offices . . . and will not do so," she said. Senator Nash confirmed she had directed Mr Furnival to discuss with the Health Department the website but denied there had been a breach of the code.