Brisbane Council Reverses Course on Children's Cupcake Stand

Kelly Stothard received a letter from Brisbane City Council threatening fines regarding her children's cupcake stand. The council informed Ms. Stothard that it had received a complaint alleging "food being manufactured and sold" from her address without a food business licence.

The letter outlined stringent demands. It stated Ms. Stothard had 24 hours to submit a food business licence application, or penalties could be applied. Furthermore, it indicated that operating a food business without a current licence is an offense under section 49 of the Food Act 2006, potentially resulting in an on-the-spot fine or prosecution.

The council informed Ms. Stothard that it had received a complaint alleging "food being manufactured and sold" from her address without a food business licence.

Family Expresses Surprise

Ms. Stothard expressed significant surprise that someone had reported her children's activity to the authorities. Her son, Kaden Heber-Stothard, shared their perspective, stating that the cupcake and lemonade stand was a collaborative effort among neighborhood children, and they genuinely believed they were not doing anything wrong.

Lord Mayor Intervenes and Clarifies

The situation garnered attention, leading Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner to intervene. Cr. Schrinner indicated that the council would not pursue the complaint further.

He clarified the origin of the initial council action, noting that an anonymous resident had sent a complaint to Queensland Health, which subsequently requested the council investigate.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner indicated that the council would not pursue the complaint further.

"Live-and-Let-Live" Policy Adopted

In a decisive statement, Cr. Schrinner announced that the council would adopt a "live-and-let-live" policy in this specific situation. He acknowledged that while rules exist for food safety, flexibility was warranted in this instance.

Ms. Stothard expressed satisfaction that her children would now be able to continue operating their cupcake stand, free from the threat of council penalties.