Abstract: This paper explores factors driving the development of interaction between central and local governments for food safety governance in Australia, and it further dissects the existing mode and the characteristics. It is shown that due to continuous improvements in the mode of interaction between central and local governments for Australian food safety governance, the ratio of the number of food recalls to trade amount has significantly deceased, and stakeholders have been more satisfied with the government work overall and with most of it. In light of China’s national conditions and based on a brief comparative analysis of interaction between central and local governments for food safety governance in Australia and China, in order to continuously improve food safety governance in China, it is suggested that the central government should interact with local ones by strengthening consultation between lower- and upper-level governments during the formulation of policies and regulations, attaching importance to communication between the upper- and lower-level governments during the supervision process, and lower-level governments initiatively seeking guidance on food safety information disclosure from upper-level governments.

Key words: food safety; central and local governments; governance; interaction