Business
28 December, 2025
No prosecutions, few fines in strong year for food safety across our regions
Businesses across The Southern Wire’s readership area have largely passed scrutiny in 2025, with no prosecutions recorded by the NSW Food Authority.
Businesses across The Southern Wire’s readership area have largely passed scrutiny in 2025, with no prosecutions recorded by the NSW Food Authority.
The authority, which oversees compliance with NSW food safety laws alongside local councils, confirmed there were no court proceedings brought against businesses across the region this year. A small number of penalty notices were issued, each accompanied by a fine.
In Wollondilly, one business in Thirlmere received two penalty notices in May. The first carried an $880 fine for failing to maintain fixtures, fittings and equipment to the required standard of cleanliness. The same business received a second $880 penalty notice later that month for failing to take practicable measures to eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests, following previous warnings.
No penalty notices were issued to businesses in Wingecarribee, Upper Lachlan or Goulburn Mulwaree in 2025.
Yass Valley recorded four penalty notices during the year, issued to two businesses.
One business was fined $880 for the sale of food past its use-by date, followed by a second penalty notice carrying a $1,320 fine for the sale of unsuitable food. Previous warnings had been issued in both cases.
A second business, located in Gundaroo, received an $880 fine in June for failing to maintain premises, fixtures and equipment to the required standard of cleanliness. One month later, the same business was issued a further penalty notice with a $660 fine for failing to ensure a food safety supervisor had been appointed, again after previous warnings.
Compared with 2024, enforcement activity across The Southern Wire’s coverage area has remained largely steady. As in the previous year, the NSW Food Authority relied on infringement notices rather than prosecutions, particularly in cases involving repeat or unresolved compliance issues.
Wingecarribee, Upper Lachlan and Goulburn Mulwaree again recorded no penalty notices, consistent with last year’s compliance outcomes.
Yass Valley remained the only local government area in the region to record multiple penalty notices, reflecting a continued focus on addressing repeat breaches rather than any widespread decline in food safety standards.
The NSW Food Authority has previously stated that penalty notices are intended to correct non-compliance early, before more serious enforcement action is required.
We will continue to keep readers up to date of any breaches in 2026.
Read More: Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, Wollondilly