Australia considers adopting beef labelling law

Australia is considering adopting a beef labelling bill proposed in the New South Wales Parliament.

Mislabellings occur on the domestic market as there are no regulations stopping chuck steak being labelled as prime rump.

Independent NSW Member for Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay, said the draft bill is necessary so that Australian consumers would regain their confidence in domestic beef and stop the decline in consumption, which has halved since 1970.

The current system is on a voluntary basis, with terms such as budget beef or prime cuts, but they can be unreliable, according to Torbay.