Senator Grant Tambling

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Aged Care

Tuesday, 16 May 2000

World nutrition expert re-appointed to Anzfa Board

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator the Hon. Grant Tambling, has announced that Professor Mark Wahlqvist AO, has been re-appointed to the Board of the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA).

Senator Tambling said: “I am pleased to be able to re-appoint Professor Wahlqvist.

He is a world renowned expert in diet related illness, and is a key member of the ANZFA Board.”  

The ANZFA Board is responsible for ensuring that the Australia New Zealand Food Authority meets its main objective, which is to ensure a safe and nutritious food supply in Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Wahlqvist is a medical practitioner, and Professor of Medicine at Monash University in Melbourne, where he is Associate Dean, International Health and Development in the Faculty of Medicine. He is also Chairman of the Australian Nutrition Foundation, and he sits on a number of United Nations and other international committees.

Senator Tambling said Professor Wahlqvist was a member of a highly skilled Board which currently included members of world standing in science and medicine, and high level representatives from the consumer movement, the food industry, and public health.

“People of   Professor Wahlqvist’s calibre play an important role in the health and safety process by ensuring that the Board has the expertise to carefully consider all of the options in the food safety and regulatory framework in Australia and New Zealand.    

“ANZFA is currently examining some important issues, including safety assessments for genetically modified foods; a review of the food standards code which will ensure that food standards keep up with consumers’ changing tastes and food industry trends; and a set of food hygiene standards to provide greater protection against microbiological hazards in our food.”