Tweed is near my so-far favorite beach in Australia, Coolangatta, on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland.

A council crackdown on health food safety has seen eateries in the slapped with fines for cockroaches, dirty food containers and no hand soap.

Murwillumbah Services Club general manager Guy Diven said Tweed Shire Council had “changed their tack”.

“I have been working with the council for 11 years,” he said.

“I can say they have moved from a regime of assisting businesses in compliance to taking the easy road to just fining businesses.”

Director of planning and regulation Vince Connell said the council operates food premises inspection services in line with the Food Act and the New South Wales Food Authority.

“Council’s level of inspection services has not changed since the service agreement was implemented,” Mr Connell said.