Strawberry crisis prompts jail time boost

FEDERAL ACTION TO DEAL WITH STRAWBERRY SAGA:

* Contamination offences penalty in commonwealth criminal code to be increased to 15 years in jail from 10 years.

* Four new contamination offences to be created with 10 year maximum jail terms, with the level of proof being "recklessness".

* Sabotage offences to be extended to include "goods intended for human consumption."

* Food services and food intended for the public will be included in the revised definition of "public infrastructure".

* This new definition links food contamination to national security.

* A defence exists if the person charged is a public official or owner or operator of the public infrastructure, and engaged in the conduct in "good faith, with lawful authority and the conduct was reasonable in the circumstances".

* Labor supports the measures but are asking for a 12-month review of the legislation to be built into the draft laws.

* Police are following up 100 leads, many of which are expected to be hoaxes or copycats.

* Australian Border Force has rolled out X-ray and metal detection devices to help in the investigation.