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Food Policy and Regulation Forum

Thursday 1 May 2025
Hyatt Hotel, Canberra ACT
Ngunnawal Country

Background

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Food and nutrition are foundational to protecting and improving the health of populations. However, our unhealthy food systems and environments have led to a situation where dietary patterns are major contributors to ill health and early death and where the manufacture, promotion and availability of unhealthy products dominates over healthy products and fresh foods.  Unhealthy food environments and the consequent burden of disease are also inequitably distributed in our country, with the impacts most keenly felt by disadvantaged communities and groups that have been marginalised or made vulnerable.


Bi-partisan governments have recognised the impact of the food environment on Australians’ diets, lifestyles and health in recent strategies including the National Preventative Health Strategy and the National Obesity Strategy and these outline a roadmap for enabling Australians to eat well. Evidence-based food policy, for example on labelling, marketing and promotions, pricing, and product availability and content, is needed to support these strategies and to enable policy change to improve food environments, dietary patterns and health equity. 


Recent years have seen much discussion and consultation in food policy and regulation, across the states and territories, the Commonwealth government, and agencies such as Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Advocates, researchers and practitioners outside of government are also continually working to encourage and support policies that will have positive health outcomes. What we need now is implementation and action.


It is timely for all the relevant stakeholders who’s focus is on promoting health via healthy nutrition – in government, research, NGO and consumer – to sit down together and work through strategies and solutions towards a way forward. 


The PHAA will be running a one-day Food Policy and Regulation Forum in Canberra on May 1st as a satellite event following the Preventive Health Conference (April 28-30). Through a program focused on conversation and workshopping, the Forum aims to build relationships between the stakeholders who are committed to improving nutrition-related health outcomes and discuss solutions for challenges in the current food policy and regulation landscape.

Forum Objectives

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  • Facilitate cross-sectoral discussion of health-related food policy priorities.

  • Build relationships between stakeholders, as well as a greater understanding of the challenges and opportunities within research, policy, and government. 

  • Understand progress on current food policy and regulation 

  • Explore options, including barriers and enablers, in food policy and regulation.

  • Create avenues for government agencies to access evidence-based expertise and rigorous data.

  • Consider the future of food regulation and policy. 

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Target Audience​

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The target audience is current and future leaders in health-focused food policy and regulation from a range of sectors including:

  • Research (food policy and regulation)

  • Civil society (public health and consumer)

  • Government
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Registrations

Registration for the Food Policy and Regulation Forum is now open. Below is an outline of registration types and costs. ​The Forum is only open to Face-to-Face attendees. 

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Please note: The Food Policy and Regulation Forum is not open to any person who has a conflict of interest due to financial relationships, direct or indirect, with the alcohol, gambling and food industry. 

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Attendees registered to attend the Preventive Health Conference 2025 benefit from a discount on their Food Policy and Regulation Forum 2025. You can register for the Preventive Health Conference on the dedicated page of this website.​​

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Places are limited and selling fast!​

Groups of 2+ registrations can use the group registration portal. ​

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PHAA Member
F2F Registration

Standard $475​​

PHC25 Attendees $375

PHAA Member
Student / Concession
F2F Registration

Standard $ 375​​

PHC25 Attendees $ 275

Non-Member
F2F Registration

Standard $ 625​​

PHC25 Attendees $ 525

Non-Member
Student / Concession
F2F Registration

Standard $ 525​

PHC25 Attendees $ 425

Program - Thursday 1 May

Opening Session
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Chair: Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, PHAA CEO

Plenary 1 - Setting the Scene (1h10 hour)​​

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Acknowledgment of Country

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Introduction and outline of and goals for the day (8 mins)

Speaker: Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, PHAA CEO

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Department of Health and Aged Care overview (8 mins)

Speaker: Anthea Raven, Assistant Secretary, Preventive Health and Food Policy Branch, Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care

 

FSANZ overview (8 mins)

Speaker: Christel Leemhuis, General Manager Public Health, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

 

Jurisdictional overview (8 mins)
Speakers to be announced

 

Health Star Rating (8 mins)

Speaker to be announced

 

Commercial Foods for infants and young children (8 mins)

Speaker: Jane Martin, Executive Manager, Food for Health Alliance (FHA) and Alcohol and Obesity Programs at Cancer Council Victoria

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Added Sugar (8 mins)

Speakers:

  • Christel Leemhuis, General Manager Public Health, Food Standards Australia New Zealand

  • Professor Caroline Miller, PHAA President and Director of the Health Policy Centre at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

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Breakout 1 - Open Discussion on selected topics (50 minutes)​​

 

​Breakout 1 Topics will be: 

  1. Health Star Rating

  2. Commercial foods for infants and young children

  3. Added sugar – labelling and reformulation

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Morning Tea
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

The Food Policy and Regulation Forum Program will be divided into four sessions with each session including:

  1. A Plenary part, i.e. a time for speaker presentations to set the scene.

  2. A Breakout part, i.e. a time for workshops and open discussion. 


During Breakouts, delegates will be invited to divide in three groups for an open discussion between representatives of the government, civil society and research community. Each table will be assigned a different topic.​

Objectives:

  • Open discussion, no recording.

  • Discuss greater detail of the barriers and enablers in food policy and regulation from different perspectives.

  • Identify research opportunities to support policy.

  • Consider not only the future of food regulation and policy, but also what lies beyond this scope.

  • Determine the overall goal for the issue and the initial step to achieve the goal.

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Session 2
11:30 AM - 12:50 PM
Chair: Ms Lily Pratt, Policy Officer PHAA

Plenary 2 - Setting the Scene (30 minutes)​​

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FSANZ Act Review (8 mins)

Speaker: Andrea Schmidtke, Senior Legal Policy Adviser, Food for Health Alliance

 

Alcohol Labelling (8 mins)

Speaker: Natalie Stapleton, Executive Officer, Alcohol change Australia

 

Unhealthy marketing (8 mins)

Speakers:

  • Professor Kathryn Backholer, PHAA Vice President (Policy), Co-Director of the Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE)

  • Katarnya Hickey, Senior Legal Policy Adviser, Food for Health Alliance

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Breakout 2 - Open Discussion on selected topics (50 minutes)​​

 

​Breakout 2 Topics will be: 

  1. FSANZ Act Review

  2. Alcohol labelling

  3. Unhealthy marketing 

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Lunch & Networking
12:50 PM - 1:50 PM

Session 3
1:50 PM - 3:10 PM
Chair: Ms Lily Pratt, Policy Officer PHAA

Plenary 3 - Setting the Scene (30 minutes)​​

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Nutrition Information Panel (8 mins)

Speaker: Stephanie Betz, Food Standards Australia New Zealand

 

Sugar Sweetened Beverage levy (8 mins)

Speaker: Sally Witchalls, Senior Policy Adviser - Public Health, Australian Medical Association

 

Regulating infant formula marketing (8mins)

Speakers:

  • Andrea Schmidtke, Senior Legal Policy Adviser, Food for Health Alliance

  • Naomi Hull, National Coordinator for Australia, World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative 

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Breakout 3 - Open Discussion on selected topics (50 minutes)​​

 

​Breakout 3 Topics will be: 

  1. Nutrition Information Panel

  2. Added sugar – SSB levy

  3. Regulating infant formula marketing

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Afternoon Tea
3:10 PM - 3:40 PM

Session 4
3:40 PM - 4:30 PM
Chair: Professor Caroline Miller, PHAA President and Director of the Health Policy Centre at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

Discussion summary presentations - 5 minutes per Breakout Topic

  • For each Breakout Topic, a representative will present the main learnings and ideas moving forward to the delegates. 

  • Closing comments by Professor Caroline Miller, PHAA President and Director of the Health Policy Centre at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

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Forum Closing Remarks

Speaker: Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, PHAA CEO

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Engagement Opportunities

FPRF Sponsorship Prospectus

We invite you to consider sponsoring the Food Policy and Regulation Forum 2025.  It is a strategic opportunity to demonstrate the support your organisation gives to the rapidly moving field of food policy and regulation and to associate your brand with thought leadership, sector networking and partnership development.


The PHAA team is committed to working with sponsors to match sponsorship and exhibition packages to the strategic objectives of your organisation to ensure you are satisfied with your involvement and return on investment.


To download a copy of the Sponsorship Prospectus please click on the link below or on the image.

© 2025 by Public Health Association of Australia.

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