Response by Greater Dandenong City Council - ICook Foods

Response by Greater Dandenong City Council - ICook Foods

25 November 2019

Questions from A Current Affair

What is the Councils position to allegations that a slug was planted? What do you have to say to ICook foods allegations that Community chef benefited from Icook foods being closed? Are you going to have an internal investigation into what happened?

Response by Greater Dandenong City Council

ICook Foods was temporarily closed down by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services in February this year. This followed a number of positive samples for listeria at ICook Foods, one of which was linked to the death of an elderly woman. Council absolutely refutes any claims by ICook Foods that it planted evidence and stands by its decision to bring charges against ICook Foods, firmly believing that it is Council’s priority to enforce the provisions of the Food Act and that the allegations were well founded. Greater Dandenong City Council CEO, Mr John Bennie immediately declared a conflict and took no part in any discussions or actions relating to ICook Foods. Council reported this matter to IBAC who referred it to the Victorian Ombudsman for an initial review. Following the conclusion of that review the Ombudsman was satisfied with the procedures and processes Council followed. ICook Foods is again using the media to ‘beat up’ its claims against Council. If, as it frequently says to media outlets, it has evidence of some wrongdoing it should make that evidence available to Council. The evidence to date confirms no wrongdoing of any kind by Greater Dandenong City Council.