Maybe it’s payback to the federal politicians in Australia who are utterly clueless about basic food safety and steps to improve public accountability, but Canberra food businesses are flouting food safety laws such as installing a wash basin and cleaning the kitchen, according to the territory’s chief health officer.

The number of improvement notices issued to restaurants, cafes and food stalls in the second half of last year  was more than double  the number for the same period in 2012.

While some of the 163 notices  were for minor infringements, chief health officer Dr Paul Kelly said “we’re still finding significant problems” with general hygiene standards in some premises.

Among the problems were business owners failing to install a basin for hand washing in food-preparation areas.

Others did not maintain clean kitchens or had been caught out

not storing food at correct temperatures.

“It’s pretty standard infrastructure that you’d think would just be second nature,” Dr Kelly said.

“We’re trying … to work with industry to get them to fix their act by themselves.”

“I think we’ve got a way to go still.’’ he said.

‘‘People who don’t have somewhere to wash their hands in a food-preparation area, with running water and soap – that sort of thing is still there,” he said.