Toxic dangers from the deep

www.smh.com.au - by Caroline Marcus

Australians are eating imported fish that have not been tested for harmful toxins, consumer advocate Choice warns.

Authorities test only 5 per cent of fish arriving from abroad.

In a report released today, Choice calls for Australians to have similar protection as in the US, where national regulator the Food and Drug Administration tests all shipments of certain farmed fish species from China. It says the US repeatedly finds banned chemicals, including fungicides and antibiotics, in imported fish.

"Fish found by our authorities to be contaminated are rejected, however 95 per cent of imports are not routinely tested nor is domestically produced seafood," Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said. "We feel Australians deserve better."

Food Standards Australia New Zealand found 16 per cent of domestically farmed fish and 17 per cent of imported farmed fish contain the fungicide malachite green, a chemical used in a farming to prevent disease and parasites.

Large fish such as swordfish, marlin and shark can contain mercury at levels that harm small children and pregnant women, not to mention being harvested unsustainably, the report found.
Mr Zinn said consumers were getting mixed messages, being told by government and health authorities to eat more fish because of its health benefits.

Yet aside from the health risks, about two-thirds of fish species are overfished by Australian fisheries, a report by the Australian Government Bureau of Rural Sciences found.

Choice has called for the next revision of the Australian Dietary Guidelines to consider the impact of fishing practices, saying labels should be more clearly detailed in terms of where seafood came from and how it was caught.

To help consumers make better choices about buying fish, the Australian Marine Conservation Society has released a guide with a colour-coded table. Fish marked red means "say no", orange is "think twice" and green is "better choice".

Greg Doyle, from Pier at Rose Bay, said his restaurant used only Australian fish because he believed imported seafood was usually "substandard".

"I don't quite understand why there is a lot of overseas, imported, frozen product on supermarket shelves and that sort of thing, when people can go and buy local, fresh-caught product, which is far superior and would be more supportive of local industry."

The chef of Balmoral's Bottom Of The Harbour Seafoods Cafe and Bistro, James Fairall, said 90 per cent of the fish he used were Australian.

"I am a little bit wary about seafood from China," he said.

"If it was mandatory that everything got tested then it would stop people trying to send us whatever they don't want - the fish that the rest of the world rejects.

"I am a chef and I am quite ignorant of any harmful nature of imported seafood, so what chance does the consumer have?"

National Aquaculture Council chief executive Simon Bennison questioned Choice's right to speak out on the industry.

"When did Choice become experts in the issue of sustainable fisheries?" he said. "They need to be awfully careful because Australian fisheries are well managed."

Food Standards Australia New Zealand spokeswoman Lydia Buchtmann said a number of imported seafoods on the high-risk list would be tested more regularly.

"Consumers should be confident that seafood is safe in Australia," Ms Buchtmann said.

"If something is picked up by the enforcement agencies then of course action is taken but that is rare."

McDonalds Australia to rollout free wifi

http://www.couriermail.com.au/
Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

McDonald's has announced it will roll out the largest network of free wireless internet in Australia, in partnership with Telstra.

It will offer free wi-fi in 720 restaurants across Australia by March next year, with Queensland internet hotspots launching from late December onwards.

Wireless internet hotspots had previously been available in many McDonald's restaurants for a fee, and McDonald's chief information officer Henry Shiner said regular visitors who log on for an hour a week could save up to $728 per year with the free service.

"Many of our customers are looking to access the internet on the move," he said, and the service would allow them to connect their wireless-enabled laptop computers, mobile phones, games consoles or personal digital assistants for free.

The hotspots will use Telstra's Next IP network, launched last year. The company's rollout to Queensland restaurants is expected to be completed by late January.

Food safety and hygiene guide now available

http://www.foodweek.com.au

The updated Restaurant & Catering Australia's Guide to Food Safety & Hygiene 2008/09 edition has been issued to all Restaurant & Catering members throughout Australia.

Compiled in consultation with Restaurant & Catering Australia, the guide discusses several areas in the industry that require workers to follow strict health and safety guidelines; including temperature control, food storage and stock rotation, emergency procedures, fire safety and electrical safety.

John Hart, CEO of Restaurant & Catering Australia, said the organisation hoped the guide would assist employees in the restaurant and catering industry.

"It highlights the importance of proper storage and both fire and electrical hazards of which staff need to be aware. Restaurant & Catering Australia encourages all businesses in the industry to display the wall chart in a prominent location so that employees will be aware of good hygiene and safety practices,” Hart said.

He said the information was conveyed using bullet points, simple English and an eye-catching design - ideal for inductions, training, and as a daily point of reference for the correct policies and procedures. By displaying the chart in a common area, employers could ensure that each and every staff member was aware of potential dangers and how to avoid them.

More than 6,000 charts have been made available free of charge thanks to sponsorship funding. Additional copies of the charts available upon request. Contact Pro-Visual Publishing on (02) 8272 2611 or email enquiries@provisual.com.au or visit www.provisual.com.au

Currency Downturn has Major Implications for the Industry

Aussie’s devaluation will hurt everybody

The financial turmoil gripping world markets is already adversely affecting Australian food-service equipment markets with reduced discretionary spending and the credit squeeze reigning in the plans of many developers.

However, the biggest immediate affect arises from the rapid devaluation of the Aussie dollar against all major trading currencies. This devaluation has been more than almost any currency in the world in the same period.

As the food-service industry is dominated by fully imported products the effects on the market are widespread. Even manufactured products by Stoddart are not immune because so much of the raw material and componentry is imported; from stainless steel bought in US$ to thermostats in Euro.

The most common trading currency, the US dollar, has fallen from a brief peak of 0.98c in July to a recent low of 0.61c. This devaluation of almost 38% in 3 months is unprecedented and places a huge burden on importers and resellers. Most importers have responded by adding a surcharge on products purchased in this currency.

The Euro’s fall of 21% from a high of 0.62c to 0.49c has not been quite so dramatic, however, the more stable historical exchange rates between the Euro and Aussie have meant this devaluation is equally damaging and even more unexpected. Again most importers have added a surcharge to cover this.

Unfortunately, nobody was able to predict the timing or the gravity of these events and therefore it is difficult to know whether forecasts now carry much weight. Latest forecasts from the NAB for the Aussie-USD rate have been significantly downgraded. They suggest no regular recovery of the USD over 70c until September 2009 at which stage they are forecasting a 0.73c rate. This compares to their previous forecast of 0.81c at the same time.

If this bears out to be true, most importers may have to add further surcharges, because current surcharge percentages do not nearly cover the full extent of the dollar’s decline.
This has all happened despite the strong fundamentals within the Australian economy. However, the rapid reduction in resource commodity prices, the sudden action by the RBA to drop interest rates and the general unease in the market, have seen investors rapidly pulling out of Aussie dollars. This panic selling would have appeared unlikely to be repeated up until a few days ago.

However, another sudden drop has just occurred, putting even greater uncertainty into proceedings. It is difficult to see a big increase in the short term, but hopefully we also won’t see any further devaluation down to levels in the earlier years of the decade where the Aussie went under 50c.

For dealers this will mean an increase in purchase prices for the short-medium term that will have to be passed on to end-user customers. Like importers, dealers may have to brace themselves for harder times.

The availability of credit is also drying up which will have an effect on all areas of the market, from Wholesalers down to end-users. Those that manage their credit effectively in this period will have a huge advantage not just from a stability perspective, but also currying favor with suppliers.

The analogy of a theme-park rollercoaster is often used at such times, however, the current market situation lacks any real aspect of fun. However, I would suggest you fasten your seat-belts and don’t expect to get off any time soon.

WA organic industry continues to thrive

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2008/10/16/wa-organic-industry-continues-to-thrive.html

West Australian Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman has praised the extraordinary recent growth of the organic industry in Western Australia.

“Farm gate sales of certified organic produce have increased by more than 80 per cent in the past three years in Australia and the WA organic industry is experiencing a similar rise in demand from consumers,” Mr Redman told members of the Organic Growers Association of Western Australia (OGAWA) at a function in Perth last night to celebrate National Organic Week.

The retail value of organic sales in WA is now estimated to be between $40million and $50million a year, growing by up to 30 per cent per annum.

“WA has about 200 certified organic operators across all agricultural sectors, ranging from small mixed farm businesses to large scale investment driven businesses,” the Minister added. “The State produces a wide range of organic products including many fruits and vegetables, meats, grains, dairy products, award winning organic wines and olive products and an increasing range of grocery products like tofu, juice and children’s fruit purees.”

Farmers’ markets, which have been growing in popularity amongst shoppers, have been a great source for organic products. The Minister noted that organic has also become more mainstream as demand has strengthened.

“Farmers’ markets have become a popular place for buying organic products and provide a great opportunity to buy fresh product directly from the organic producer,” he said. “Specialty retail shops and supermarkets are also increasing their range of organic products. The wonderful flavour of organic foods is also making its way into restaurants and cafes.”

Mr Redman also launched a discount scheme for members of OGAWA for organic produce from participating businesses.

“The member discount scheme will seek to stimulate local demand for organic food, providing incentives to consumers to support WA businesses,” he claimed. “A total of 25 businesses have already registered with the scheme and I’m sure more will join as the demand for certified organic produce in WA continues to rise.”

Tourism e-kit

http://tourismvc.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/tourism-e-kit-australian-tourism-data-warehouse/

Australian Tourism Data Warehouse

Recently, I came across a blog article - “Finally - Online Marketing Guide and help for our tourism operators” by Fabienne Rabbiosi, who writes a Blog called Online Marketing Tips for Tourism Businesses. The Tourism e-kit is produced by Australian Tourism Data warehouse (ATDW) and is an initiative of the National Online Strategy Committee and is funded by Australian state & Territory Tourism Offices.

The tourism e-kit is a document of 37 tutorials that take about 25 minutes or less to read each one. You can download it free from the Austrlian Tourism Data Warehouse website in a pdf format - the whole document is 6.62 meg. or you can download each section individually. Lots of great topics and easy to read and follow. This kit is less than a month old and features alot of great new content including PPC (pay per click), blogging, social media, search engine optimization, customer reviews and so much more. All useful tools to help you plan and implement your e-marketing strategy and getting business on-line.

Todd Lucier, Tourism Keys, recently interviewed Fabienne Rabbiosi, Online Marketing Marketing Services for the Tourism Industry in an audio podcast. It is about 10 minutes long but well worth listening and hearing the Canuck and Aussie talked about the new tourism e-kit and tourism e-marketing.

2008 Business Swap Award Winners

2008 Business Swap Award Winners
11 October 2008

Last night the Business Swap International Awards were held at Opal Cove Resort, in Coffs Harbour, NSW. The Awards are designed to celebrate and showcase the many achievements of our members, with over 120 people in attendence the evening was a huge success, the champagne was flowing in celebration of our Award Winners' success and achievements.


Congratulations to the following members:

Business Awards

Employee of the Year - sponsored by Redback Solutions

Jessica Evans of Catering by Design; Northern Beaches Business Swap

Jess has an exceptionally thorough understanding of the company she works for. It's goals, how it operates, and how her role in the company affects its operations. She is dedicated and passionate about Catering By Design, and has been described as a vital part of the company and a true asset. She has brilliant organisational alibility which has been an integral element that has enabled the company to grow exponentially in the past 2 years.

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New Business of the Year - sponsored by Red Day Coaching

I Hate My PC - David Moore; Northern Beaches Business Swap

Over the past 2 years, David has carved out a niche in the highly competitive IT industry. Over the past 12 months the company has achieved a 140% growth year on year, which has been a direct a result of the positive word of mouth he received from exceptionally happy customers who describe the service provided by David as "professional, efficient, value for money, goes the extra mile, reliable and innovative."

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Business of the Year (sole trader) - sponsored by NRMA Business Insurance

Fibercon - Mark Combe; Brisbane Business Swap

As a sole-trader in a very specialised industry, Fibercon stands out within it's industry as being able to meet the demands of big business with the flexibility that a sole trader is able to provide. With a business turnover in excess of $1 million, Mark has been able to expand the business specifically by increasing their product range and exporting overseas.

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Business of the Year (5 employees or less) - sponsored by Sticky Tickets Pty Ltd

Sydney Commercial Kitchens - Neil Willis; Northern Beaches Business Swap

Neil has created a business many would aspire to. With good solid systems in place that allows him the freedom to work on the business - not in the business, clientele that keep coming back year after year, suppliers who will bend backwards to help his team meet their clients needs, and staff members who feel empowered to run the business as if it were their own. Sydney Commercial Kitchens has established itself as the market leader in their industry, creating a multi-million dollar business - all online.

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Business of the Year (6 or more employees) - sponsored by Allen Carr's Easy Way

Sunshine Coast Pet Resort - Jo Hassan; Brisbane Business Swap & Sam Brown; Sunshine Coast Business Swap

Sunshine Coast Pet Resort stands out from their competitors by providing a service that is completely focused on their clients needs - the pets (andtheir owners). The business is unique, has strong branding and has created a 24/7 service that provides their customers the convenience and flexibility that they need. Jo and Sam both understand the value of creating effective operations and have a fully documented system in place for all areas of the business. More impressive is that they have actually sold their operation manuals to other companies throughout the world.

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Club Awards

Member of the Year - sponsored by Imagine Art Pty Ltd

Trina Panormo, Perth Business Swap in recognition for outstanding contribution to the organisation.

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The John Nevin President's Award - sponsored by Speakers Coach

Jock Wallace, Northern Beaches Business Swap in recognition for outstanding leadership and performance during his term as Club President.

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Club of the Year - sponsored by Business Publications Australia

Northern Beaches Business Swap

The members of Northern Beaches pride themselves on the team effort that has created the results of having a vibrant, enthusisatic and supportive club. 22 new members have joined the Northern Beaches club in the last 12 months.

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Sponsor of the Year

Russell Reardon, Gold Coast Business Swap in recognition for introducing the most new members in the past 12 months.

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Margaret London Award

Linda Ward, Coffs Harbour Business Swap in recognition for outstanding contribution within the first 12 months of membership.

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Life Membership

Noelene Dawes, City Business Swap

in recognition of her contribution to the organisation over the past 10 years.

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Fellowship honours

Wendy Close; Central Coast Business Swap
Marlene Rattigan; Perth Business Swap

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2008 BUSINESS SWAP AWARD WINNERS

Award Winners shared in a prize pool valued at almost $50,000

A menu for the tough times

New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - 10 Oct 2008
4:00AM Saturday Oct 11, 2008
By Paul Thomas

Great cooking, they say, is all in the timing. English TV chef Rick Stein mightn't miss a beat in the kitchen but his claim in last weekend's Canvas that New Zealand restaurants are too cheap was as untimely as a cold snap in lambing season.

Stein argues that restaurants here and in Australia aren't profitable enough but one assumes that survival rather than maximising returns will be the primary focus in the buyer's market ushered in by this week's economic train wreck.

You'd think the last thing on restaurateurs' minds, as they contemplate the bleak commercial landscape, would be jacking up their prices.

Restaurants come and, more often than not, go. That's the nature of the beast.

Some of Sydney's most celebrated establishments - the likes of Tetsuya's, Claude's and Buon Ricordo - are into their third decade.

Others, whose openings generated giddy excitement in foodie circles and many column inches of free advertising, have flourished briefly and then disappeared, the gastronomic equivalents of passing fads or one-hit wonders.

The comparison is apt because the restaurant business increasingly seems a branch of fashion and entertainment, notably in the celebrity status given certain chefs whose culinary skills are more than matched by their talent for self-marketing.

Then there's the increasing prominence given to restaurant reviews which used to languish back with gardening columns and amateur dramatics. I'd like to think I played a small part in this development by hiring Renaissance man Hamish Keith to review restaurants for a short-lived and long-forgotten Auckland newspaper.

There were no advance expenses for contributors in those days, so Keith had to carry the cost of his weekly outings for as long as it took the paper to reimburse him, which was generally far too long. I fear my inability to extract money from the accounts department was a constant source of exasperation.

Elsewhere, the grandees of the genre are spared such indignities. Even after almost four decades, the expenses of the late R.W. "Johnny" Apple could still generate shock and awe among his colleagues at the New York Times.

By his admission, Apple was a gourmand as opposed to a gourmet; rather than dither over a menu he simplified what could be a terribly difficult choice by telling them to bring everything.

American restaurant reviewing tends to be respectfully earnest, with a disconcerting tendency to approach what's on the plate with the probing inquisitiveness of a forensic pathologist.

British practitioners generally take a breezier, more personal tack, to the point that some reviews read like an extract from an autobiography.

The big dog of the British pack is the Sunday Times' A.A. Gill.

He was once booted out of one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants for having described him as "a wonderful chef but second-rate human being".

This seems precious and perverse of someone who built a brand on reducing underlings to tears.

Some years ago, Vanity Fair unleashed Gill on New York's hottest restaurant, a nouveau Chinese monument to pretension, 66.

He produced a vituperative tour de force which, in addition to making the food sound repulsive, caught the snobbery and bogusness that so often surrounds supposedly cutting-edge projects.

"Tell me," he wrote, "what two attributes should hot and sour soup have? Take your time. It was neither ... the memory of the rest has been elided into one long, bland, watery compost that could barely incite flatulence."

Vanity Fair didn't get where it is by mercilessly taking the p*** out of Manhattan's smart set, which is essentially what Gill did.

Who, after all, had made 66 New York's hottest restaurant? So it's not surprising he wasn't given a regular gig.

I'm sure all concerned are more comfortable with the piece in a recent issue which ends thus: "I am comforted by the idea of a place more beautiful than Earth, where the anxieties of worldly life vanish and all you feel is bliss. Does such a heaven exist? If not - or until we reach it - there is La Grenouille."

Last week, a friend and I conducted a whirlwind sampling of restaurants in the Wellington region.

Most passed the value for money test which I still find the single best measure.
Some - the French Bistro in Martinborough, Bella Italia in Petone, Simply Paris in Cuba Street - passed with flying colours.

The big disappointment was the much-touted fish and chips at the Lake Ferry hotel on the South Wairarapa coast.

They were half as good as those on offer a stone's throw from the Beehive and, at $10 a pop, twice as expensive.