A new food safety rating system has been welcomed for Brisbane businesses by the Restaurant and Catering Association. By the end of the year, to rate the 6,000 eateries, the Brisbane City Council will use information from its regular audits. Now the food safety and hygiene standards will be rated and the scores will be displayed on front doors of the restaurants.

Scores between one and five will be given by food safety inspectors. The best practitioner will get a five on the score board, while the lower scorers have to pay high penalties in the form of high licensing fee.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said that it would not be mandatory to display their scores to customers but the rating would become "a badge of honor".

"One star and you're pretty much out of business, we'll shut you down; two stars is just over the line; four to five and you're doing well. It is a scheme which is designed to give consumers more information about the establishments they are eating in as well as helping operators improve in a very positive, incentivized way", said Lord Mayor Campbell Newman.

Logan City Council applied the similar scheme and cited a 13% decline in food poisoning cases.