Canberra, the capital of Australia on a former sheep farm because Melboune and Sydney were playing poppy pants about who should host the capital, has decided that public disclosure of restaurant inspection information is too silly to pursue.

Toronto figured it out, so did LA and NYC, but not good enough for Canberra.

The territory’s Chief Health Officer, Paul Kelly, said there were a “range of reasons” behind the decision, but the government had decided there would be “better paths to follow to get the same outcome”.

“Just to be clear, the outcome is that we want the people of the ACT or people visiting the ACT to be confident when they go to a restaurant they’re eating safe food,” he said.

Dr Kelly said alternative measures, such as translating ACT Health materials into different languages, “seem to be bearing fruit.”

Bullshit. Kelly probably caved to restaurant interests, especially when he won’t explain what those alternative approaches are. Some of us publish in peer-reviewed journals, some pontificate and genuflect to their masters.

The Australian Hotels Association ACT welcomed the decision, saying that it was in part thanks to improving food safety in Canberra’s restaurants.

• This is the sheep-town where 160 people got sick from Salmonella linked to a raw-egg dish in 2013, and the owner defiantly stated at the time, that a pasteurized egg in her mayo would be, “That’s the foulest thing you’ve ever seen, so I said no, I won’t.’‘ Her restaurant no longer exists.
• Where the largest bakery was fined $10,000 because they sucked at food safety.
• Where 140 people were sickened with Salmonella in 2013 at a Mother’s Day brunch (raw eggs).

Canberra, you want to be known for having four Prime Ministers in five years, or you want to be leaders. Food safety is low-hanging fruit, get on with it (and my Brisbane Stars kicked your butt at the Coffs Harbour ice hockey tournament.

Grow a pair.