On 20 June 2018, the Senate moved that the following matters be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 August 2018.​ On 16 August 2018, the Senate agreed to extend the reporting date to 16 October 2018.

Possible regulatory approaches to ensure the safety of pet food, including both the domestic manufacture and importation of pet food, with particular reference to:

1. the uptake, compliance and efficacy of the Australian Standard for the Manufacturing & Marketing of Pet Food (AS5812:2017);
2. the labelling and nutritional requirements for domestically manufactured pet food;
3. the management, efficacy and promotion of the AVA-PFIAA administered PetFAST tracking system;
4. the feasibility of an independent body to regulate pet food standards, or an extension of Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s remit;
5. the voluntary and/or mandatory recall framework of pet food products;
6. the interaction of state, territory and federal legislation;
7. comparisons with international approaches to the regulation of pet food; and
8. any other related matters
   

The Australian Standard for the Manufacturing & Marketing of Pet Food (AS5812:2017) was published by Standards Australia and is available for purchase through the SAI-Global online store here.

Submissions should be received by 27 July 2018.