Advocacy Update - August/September 2023

The AVA’s Veterinary Policy and Advocacy (VPA) team consists of the Advocacy team, Policy team, and Special Interest Groups (SIGs).   

Since the last update, the AVA has made 13 submissions on a variety of issues using our policies as a foundation: 

• Veterinary workforce shortages  
• Animal welfare – dangerous dogs, pounds, abattoir standards, feral horse management 
• Veterinary Medicines – rescheduling 
• Disaster management 
• Biosecurity 

We encourage you to get involved to provide input into activities the AVA is commenting on or undertaking. 

Key advocacy activities (national)

Value of the profession

•  Standards development involving animals 
  Standards Australia, the organisation that develops standards, is undertaking an update of several standards that will be used in animal related industries. Standards set out specifications, procedures and guidelines that aim to ensure products, services and systems are safe, consistent and reliable. The two areas that are currently being worked on are pet food standards and microchip standards. The AVA is well represented on both of the technical committees that are undertaking this work. 
  

• AVA policy and technical representation is being provided into the development of National Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines, with the current focus on Standards for Livestock at Processing Facilities.  These Standards and Guidelines ultimately become part of the animal welfare legislation in states and territories,  

• AVA policy and technical representation is also being provided into the update of the AUSVETPLAN Humane Destruction Operational Manual - which is used in the event of emergency animal disease outbreaks.

  Rescheduling of drugs of importance to the veterinary profession : 
  Meloxicam: The TGA received a request to amend the Schedule 6 entry for Meloxicam to add injectable vaccines containing bacterial antigens and 1% or less of meloxicam for single use in lambs undergoing husbandry procedures at marking. In consultation with the Sheep, Camelid & Goat Veterinarians special interest group the AVA did not oppose the proposed amendment as we do not believe it carries the same level of risk as stand-alone formulations of meloxicam, as the dose is standardised, and diversion is unlikely. The caveat under which the AVA did not oppose the amendment was that veterinarians must still be involved in the decision making around the use of analgesics in animals. 
  Animal blood products: An applicant proposed to create a new Schedule 4 entry for animal blood products for veterinary use. Animal blood products are currently unscheduled and have not previously been considered for scheduling. The AVA supported this application and believes that blood products should only be administered by veterinarians in the same way as other S4 medicines. 
  

• Participation in a range of external committees and working groups providing technical expertise 
  Continuing to work towards the objective of increasing awareness that, to protect and advance animal health and welfare, veterinary expertise must be included where animals are involved and that the AVA is recognised as the peak organisation for veterinary technical expertise. The AVA attended numerous meetings for national working groups and committees in the areas of EAD preparedness and animal health and welfare. 
  

 Workforce sustainability and wellbeing 

• Parliamentary inquiry into the veterinary workforce shortage in NSW 
  Our work around the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the veterinary workforce shortage in NSW has continued. The AVA took several questions on notice and prepared commentary to answer those. Many other witnesses who presented evidence were asked to comment on the 16 AVA recommendations as a question on notice. We have engaged with each of them and they have been generally supportive of what the AVA has recommended. The committee has established a further public hearing in Inverell in December 2023, and the timeline in which the committee will provide its report is now less clear.  

• Graduate Transition 
  In 2022 the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC), Veterinary Schools of Australia and New Zealand (VSANZ) and the AVA agreed to form a working group to address the issue of the graduate transition experience for veterinarians in Australia, recognising that the responsibility should be shared between the regulators, the profession and educators. The working group has finalised its activity and supports adopting a framework based on the model developed by the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. The AVBC commenced a small pilot program this year using the NZ framework with the veterinary boards from QLD and WA. The NZ Veterinary Council is also expected to provide feedback on their experiences, which may help identify refinements to the framework.  

 Key advocacy activities (Divisions): 

 ACT 

• Small Mammal Codes of Practice: The UPAV Executive Committee and the ACT Division Committee collaborated and wrote a submission to the ACT Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) and provided comment on four newly proposed Small Mammal Codes of Practice including: 
  • the Keeping and Breeding of Ferrets in the ACT;  
  • the Keeping and Breeding of Guinea Pigs in the ACT; 
  • the Keeping and Breeding of Rabbits in the ACT; and  
  • the Keeping and Breeding of Rats and Mice (Rodents) in the ACT. 
• Welfare of Poultry (non-commercial): The ACT Division Committee are currently reviewing and providing feedback on the proposed new ACT code of practice for the Welfare of Poultry (non-commercial).  

VIC 

•  Issues of importance for the Victorian Division include cat management, disaster preparedness for the upcoming bushfire season, the Animal Care and Protection Bill, and veterinary workforce. The Division is participating in committees and workshops to progress these issues.  
• EAD preparedness: The Victorian Division committee has been contributing to EAD preparedness activities through review of documentation and providing a significant disease investigation program (SDIP) case study for the DEECA newsletter to assist in communications to veterinarians about the SDIP. 
• Stakeholder engagement included meeting with Dr Graeme Cooke (CVO) to discuss current issues in Victoria and attendance at the launch of the Victorian Wildlife Rehabilitation Guidelines held at Healesville Sanctuary. 

TAS  

• Minister Palmer meeting: Dr Rhianna Booth (President Tasmanian Division), Dr David Andrews (CEO AVA) and Dr Kristen Steele (Senior Advocacy Officer, AVA) met with the Minister for Agriculture Hon. Jo Palmer to discuss issues concerning the veterinary profession such as the Veterinary Service Standards, workforce shortage, payment for wildlife work and mechanisms of addressing these concerns to assist Tasmanian veterinarians.
• Cat management: The AVA continues to be involved in cat management in Tasmania. 

NSW 

• AVA Submission for the Inquiry into Pounds in NSW: The AVA has provided a submission to the Inquiry into Pounds in NSW. As part of the AVA submission, we have reiterated AVA advocacy regarding the issues experienced by veterinary practices when receiving stray dogs and cats. 

• Consultation: NSW Draft Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation: Member feedback is requested on the NSW Exposure Draft Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation to inform the AVA submission.   

QLD  

• Minister Furner meeting: The AVA recently met with Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Mark Furner. Director General of Agriculture Dr Chris Sarra, CVO Dr Allison Crook and head of Queensland Biosecurity Dr Rachel Chay were also in attendance. 
  The meeting was very effective for communicating the issues around the veterinary workforce challenges and particularly the risk to regional vets and communities. The Minister made a commitment to get the request for HECS relief onto the Commonwealth Agriculture Ministers’ meeting agenda. 
  The AVA advocacy team will undertake further follow up as a result of this meeting. 

•  Stronger dog laws – AVA submission to Queensland Government: The AVA provided a submission to the Queensland Government consultation on proposed changes to the Queensland Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008 to better protect the Queensland community from dangerous dogs. This submission was compiled through AVA member and subject matter expert input, and consistent with the AVA’s comprehensive report; Dangerous Dogs – A Sensible Solution. 
  The AVA supports the Queensland Government in a desire to improve dog laws to better protect the community and promote responsible pet ownership. This must be achieved through a data-driven and evidence-based collaboration with scientific experts in veterinary medicine and canine behaviour.  
  The "Deed not Breed" principle needs to be applied, which asserts that aggression in dogs is not tied to any particular breed but is influenced by various individual factors and circumstances, not breed alone. Dog bites are the result of a complex behaviour caused by the interaction of many factors. 

SA 

• Veterinary Services Bill passes the Upper House: The South Australian Upper House passed the Veterinary Services Bill 2023 bringing the new legislation an important step closer to coming into effect. Once enacted, the new legislation will modernise the regulation of the veterinary profession in South Australia and help cement the new operational and transparency measures introduced this year by the new Veterinary Surgeons' Board of SA. 

WA  

• Stakeholder engagement: The AVA advocacy team continue their ongoing work to communicate around the veterinary workforce challenges and be included as a stakeholder to contribute veterinary knowledge and expertise. 
  Recent opportunities were through a meeting with Federal MP Sam Lim and the inaugural RWWA Greyhound Welfare Forum. 

Key advocacy activities (Special Interest Groups): 

Unusual Pet and Avian Veterinarians (UPAV) 

• Small Mammal Codes of Practice: The UPAV Executive Committee and the ACT Division Committee collaborated and wrote a submission to the ACT Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) and provided comment on 4 newly proposed Small Mammal Codes of Practice as described above.  

• Meat Rabbit Welfare Working Group: The Working Group for Rabbit Meat Industry Welfare wrote to all safe food authorities and animal welfare regulators in each state. In the first instance, the purpose was to gather information on how each (state/territory), and the responsible government departments, currently regulate this industry in terms of both animal welfare and food safety. We have received a number of responses from: 
  • Department of Health | WA  
  • PrimeSafe | VIC  
  • Biosecurity Queensland | Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | QLD  
    In September we had a response from Michael Laity, Senior Policy Analyst| Agriculture Regulatory Policy | Agriculture Victoria and a zoom meeting is scheduled to take place in October for further discussion and next steps. 
• Guidelines for dentistry in non-dog and cat companion species: UPAV executive committee are working on a new draft policy for guidelines of exotic pet dentistry for Policy Advisory Committee (PAC). It’s aim is to help spread a better standard of exotic pet care. 

Australian Veterinary Behavioural Medicine   

• Banning breeds not the right approach to reducing dog attacks: The AVA issued a media release after recent calls in Australia and overseas to ban specific dog breeds and Dr Isabelle Resch, President of the AVA’s Veterinary Behavioural Medicine Group, spoke to a number of news outlets. This follows the submission in August to the Queensland Government on proposed changes to dog laws where we argued against breed specific legislation.  

• Consultation on the Development of Dog and Cat Regulations in WA: The AVBM executive committee are providing feedback and comment on this submission.  

• Dog Training in Tasmania: There is some concern around dog training methods used in Tasmania. An education piece is being developed and comments and feedback are being provided by AVBM executive committee.  

Australian Veterinary Student Group 

• Stakeholder engagement: Through the executive office the AVSG has met with the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) to discuss student and recent-graduate support. Day 1 Competencies, research into perception of regulation by vet students, and communication from the AVBC to students were the main topics of discussion.
  The AVSG, through the executive office, has met with the executive officer of the Veterinary Schools of Australia and New Zealand (VSANZ) to continue discussion on working relationships between the AVA and veterinary schools.   

Conservation Biology  

• Feral horse management: There have been several inquiries into the management of feral horses during the last year. The AVA made a submission to the national Senate Standing Committee of Environment and Communications on the issue. This submission was led by the AVA’s Conservation Biology Group, with collaboration with other special interest groups, the Australian Veterinarians for Animal Welfare and Ethics Group and Equine Veterinarians Australia. The AVA was invited to present to the committee at the public hearing on 23 August 2023. Dr Michael Banyard represented the AVA in his role as immediate past executive committee member of the Australian Veterinary Conservation Biology Group. 
  The Conservation Biology Group led the submission on the proposed amendments to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Management Plan 2021. 

 Production Animal and Equine Special Interest Groups  

• These special interest groups are representing the AVA in many national working groups and committees in the areas of EAD preparedness and animal health and welfare.  

THRIVE Update 

We kicked off the THRIVE Cultivating Safe Teams pilot program on 25 September 2023, with 7 of the 50 participating veterinary workplaces receiving training to support a mentally healthy and safe veterinary team. 

The concept of workplace psychological health and safety recognises that employees’ mental health is just as important as their physical health and safety. A psychologically healthy workplace is one that promotes employee psychological well-being and proactively endeavors to prevent harm to employee psychological health.   

Public Affairs Update 

During August and September, the AVA VPA team participated in a wide range of external stakeholder meetings. Meetings were held with government departments, not for profit organisations and members of parliament across a range of states and territories and at a national level.  

Since the last report, the AVA has continued to feature strongly in the media and social media. There have been 4 media releases which can be found here.  

As always, we welcome any feedback you have around our updates - please email publicvetaffairs@ava.com.au. 

Best Wishes, 

Cristy Secombe, Graham Pratt, Melanie Latter and Jeffrey Wilkinson, on behalf of the Veterinary Policy and Advocacy Team