The AVA recently lodged a submission to Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) in response to the Jobs and Skills Roadmap for Regional Australia – Phase 1 Report, advocating for the critical contribution of veterinarians to regional communities and the urgent need to address ongoing workforce shortages.
The submission welcomes JSA’s focus on essential services as the foundation of strong and sustainable regions and calls for veterinarians to be formally recognised within JSA’s essential service metrics. The AVA highlights that veterinary services are indispensable to animal health, food security, biosecurity, public safety, and the liveability and resilience of regional towns.
Key points raised in the submission include:
- Veterinarians are essential workers whose absence threatens agricultural productivity, biosecurity and community wellbeing.
- Australia’s veterinary workforce shortage remains severe, with JSA identifying the profession as being in shortage for eight consecutive years and calling for a National Veterinary Workforce Strategy.
- Regional access to veterinary care is a growing concern, influencing the ability of communities to attract and retain families and maintain viable farming operations.
- Training pathways need targeted support, including measures to boost rural placements for veterinary students and reduce cost barriers for students from regional areas.
- Public good veterinary work—including biosecurity surveillance, emergency response, wildlife care and disaster management—requires appropriate recognition and investment.
The AVA has recommended that JSA refine its workforce metrics to include veterinarians within essential service categories, and to collect more granular data on tertiary participation and rural clinical placement rates for essential occupations.
Recognising veterinarians in workforce planning frameworks is vital to supporting regional prosperity, safeguarding Australia’s livestock industries, and maintaining high animal welfare standards.
The AVA has offered ongoing collaboration with JSA as development of the Roadmap progresses into Phase 2.
The full submission can be found here.