The AVA has lodged a detailed submission to the Queensland Government’s review of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936, supporting once-in-a-generation reforms that would modernise veterinary regulation, strengthen animal welfare and public protection, and better support a sustainable veterinary workforce.
The review represents a significant opportunity to replace an almost 90-year-old legislative framework with a contemporary, risk-based model better suited to modern veterinary practice, emerging technologies, workforce realities and community expectations. In its submission, the AVA broadly supports the Queensland Department of Primary Industries’ preferred reform package across all six key reform areas: veterinary science and acts of veterinary science, registration, premises, paraprofessionals, compliance, and governance.
Building a modern Regulatory Framework
The AVA’s submission highlights the need for a regulatory framework that protects animal welfare and public health while recognising the challenges facing the profession, including workforce shortages, wellbeing concerns, retention pressures and access to care, particularly in rural and regional communities.
Among the reforms supported by the AVA are:
- Clear, risk-based boundaries around acts of veterinary science and delegation.
- More flexible registration pathways and improved interstate mobility.
- Modern veterinary practice licensing and clinical governance requirements.
- Appropriate regulation and recognition of veterinary nurses and technologists.
- A transparent, graduated compliance and disciplinary framework.
- Stronger governance arrangements for the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland.
The AVA has emphasised that regulation must not only safeguard the public interest but also support a veterinary workforce capable of delivering services across diverse practice settings and geographic regions.
Championing workforce sustainability
A key theme throughout the submission is the importance of workforce sustainability. The AVA has called for explicit consideration of workforce wellbeing, retention and participation as part of the future regulatory framework, recognising that access to veterinary services depends on a healthy and sustainable profession.
The submission also highlights the role of existing AVA programs and resources that can support implementation of the reforms, including the AVA’s:
- Chartered Veterinary Practitioner Program.
- Return to Work Program.
- THRIVE wellbeing resources and Graduate Mentor Program.
- Great Veterinary Workplaces Program.
- ASAV Accredited Veterinary Hospital Scheme.
The AVA has recommended that these established profession-led initiatives be recognised and leveraged wherever possible to support workforce development, wellbeing, clinical governance and continuing professional development outcomes.
Supporting Veterinary Nurses and Technologists
The submission strongly supports the introduction of a statutory registration framework for veterinary paraprofessionals, including veterinary nurses and veterinary technologists. The AVA believes registration, title protection, defined scopes of practice under veterinary supervision and continuing professional development requirements will strengthen professional accountability, improve workforce utilisation and enhance public confidence in the veterinary team.
The association has also called for nationally consistent education and accreditation standards and clear accountability arrangements for delegated veterinary activities.
Strengthening clinical governance and compliance
The AVA supports replacing the current premises approval model with a modern practice licensing framework that better reflects contemporary veterinary service delivery, including mobile practices, emergency services and telehealth. The submission advocates for strong clinical governance standards covering areas such as infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship, medicines management and quality improvement.
The AVA also supports a more contemporary compliance framework, including:
- Graduated disciplinary and remediation pathways.
- Improved complaint handling processes.
- Provisions addressing unregistered practice.
- Enhanced whistleblower protections.
- Better information sharing between regulators and agencies.
Equine dentistry input included
An appendix to the submission includes detailed recommendations from the Dentistry Subcommittee of Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA). The appendix examines the regulation of equine dentistry under the proposed reforms and calls for a risk-based approach to equine dental procedures, supported by stronger governance, supervision and enforcement arrangements.
Continued collaboration essential
While supportive of the proposed reforms overall, the AVA has stressed that many of the most important regulatory settings will ultimately be determined through subordinate legislation, standards, guidelines and implementation resources. The association has called for ongoing engagement with the profession and meaningful involvement of appropriately qualified subject matter experts throughout the next phase of reform.
The AVA remains committed to working collaboratively with the Queensland Government and the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland to ensure the new framework is practical, evidence-based, nationally aligned and capable of supporting high-quality veterinary care into the future.
