AVA’s NSW 2025-26 pre-budget submission

The AVA has lodged a pre-budget submission for the 2025-26 NSW Government budget. This AVA’s 2025-26 pre-budget submission focuses on the on the critical priorities facing veterinarians in NSW and offers a range of recommendations underpinned by the recent Inquiry into veterinary workforce shortages in NSW recommendations and the NSW Government’s responses.

For detailed information please read the full AVA submission. 

The following 3 key topics and 13 key recommendations were included in the AVA submission:

1.  Veterinary professionals – at greater risk of poor mental health

• Recommendation 1.1 Funding for the AVA wellness initiative (THRIVE)

The NSW Government commit to funding ($3.6 million over 4 years) to the AVA’s wellness initiative, THRIVE to support veterinarians and veterinary staff to lead satisfying, prosperous and healthy careers.  This includes the expansion of a range of existing programs being undertaken by the AVA for the veterinary profession and implementing new programs under the areas of prevent, promote and protect. These bespoke programs provide psychological health and safety awareness training, mental health first aid, suicide prevention and counselling for veterinarians.

2.  Build and retain veterinary workforce

• Recommendation 2.1 Regional and rural relocation incentives 

The NSW Government allocate funding to implement targeted financial incentives for veterinarians to relocate to regional and rural NSW, particularly those working with livestock, to address critical workforce shortages and support primary producers.

• Recommendation 2.2 Student placement support

The NSW Government subsidies for accommodation and travel costs associated with students undertaking clinical placements in rural and regional areas.

• Recommendation 2.3 Veterinary infrastructure funding

The NSW Government invest in veterinary infrastructure development that includes accommodation will assist in meeting this challenge. The AVA proposes that the Government establish a veterinary infrastructure subsidy available to rural and regional veterinary services businesses to help them include accommodation facilities within the veterinary hospital.

• Recommendation 2.4 Recent Graduate Rural and Regional incentive funding

The NSW Government implement an incentive scheme that provides a financial payment to recent graduates who begin their veterinary careers in rural and regional areas. The incentive would be in 2 parts, firstly an initial payment that is aimed at supporting the relocation costs incurred by the recent graduate. A second payment would be available once a recent graduate had completed at least 5 years veterinary practice in a rural or regional area.

• Recommendation 2.5 Childcare access

The NSW Government fund and implement targeted initiatives to address childcare challenges faced by veterinary professionals, with a focus on improving access to childcare.

• Recommendation 2.6 Afterhours Services

The NSW Government provide resources to fund a think tank to develop an afterhours model that is sustainable for the profession and allows veterinary services to be delivered to the NSW community in both urban and rural areas 24/7, including the provision of telehealth veterinary services to complement the delivery of after-hours services.

3.  Sustainability of veterinary services – recouping the costs of delivery of public good delivered by the private veterinary sector

• Recommendation 3.1 Veterinary services for wildlife

The NSW Government commit funding for a pilot program to private veterinary businesses to assist with the variable cost of delivery of veterinary services to Australia’s wildlife.

• Recommendation 3.2 Veterinary services for disaster impacted wildlife

The NSW Government to establish formal support arrangements for veterinary services provided to disaster-impacted wildlife.

• Recommendation 3.3 Stray Animals and Pounds

The AVA urgently calls upon the NSW Government to fund the investigation and implementation of a state-wide consistent policy for the interaction between local government and veterinary practices in management of stray dogs and cats.

• Recommendation 3.4 Biosecurity funding – Veterinarians on farms

In its funding of the biosecurity system the NSW Government commit to including increased specific investment in veterinary services (particularly rural and regional) and supporting delivery of veterinary services that deliver public good (e.g. getting veterinarians onto farms regularly to enhance biosecurity and animal welfare).

• Recommendation 3.5 Biosecurity funding – Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) testing support

The NSW Government should commit to sustained funding and support for EAD preparedness initiatives as a proactive measure to safeguard animal health, public health, and the agricultural economy. This includes reinstating free veterinary-initiated laboratory testing for EAD-related disease investigations to remove financial disincentives for primary producers and encourage early and accurate disease reporting.

• Recommendation 3.6 Low-income earners

The NSW Government to fund the investigation and implementation of strategies to ensure the veterinary care needs of animals in our community are effectively met for low-income earners that is means tested.