AVA Federal Pre-Budget Submission 2024-25

22 Jan 2024

Summary of Recommendations

  1. Build and retain regional veterinary workforce
    1. Rural Bonding Scheme (HECS-HELP Forgiveness Scheme) – Commonwealth Government introduce a Rural Bonding Scheme (HECS-HELP Forgiveness Scheme) - This is suggested to cost $19.23 million over four years ($4.80 million per annum) and would forgive the HECS-HELP debt of 80 new graduates per year, boosting the veterinary workforce in these critically important regions.
    2. Inclusion of veterinary professionals into rural subsidy schemes – The Commonwealth Government extends existing rural and regional support for business infrastructure development, essential service business tax concessions, accommodation stimulus packages and preferential access to community services to include the veterinary sector.
  2. Veterinary professionals – at greater risk of poor mental health
    1. Funding for the AVA wellness initiative (THRIVE) – The Commonwealth government commit to funding ($7 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 for psychological health and safety awareness training, mental health first aid, suicide prevention and counselling.
  3. Sustainability of vet services – recouping the costs of delivery of public good delivered by the private veterinary sector
    1. Biosecurity funding – In funding the biosecurity system the Commonwealth Government commit to including increased specific investment in veterinary services (particularly rural and regional) and supporting delivery of those veterinary services that deliver public good (e.g.  getting  veterinarians onto farms regularly to enhance biosecurity and animal welfare, similar to the Animal Welfare Pathway in the UK).
    2. Animal care during emergency disaster situations – The Commonwealth Government establish a national fund to support the provision of veterinary care to animals in natural disasters.
    3. Veterinary services for wildlife – The Commonwealth Government commit $25 million dollars over 4 years for a pilot program to private veterinary businesses to assist with the variable cost of delivery of veterinary services to Australia’s wildlife.
  4. Animal Welfare
    1. Animal welfare standards – That the Commonwealth Government increase the budget allocation for the development of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy and increase the scope of the Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports to include all federal regulatory matters that relate to animals.
    2. Petfood regulation – That the Commonwealth Government fund the mandatory adoption of the Australian Standard for the Manufacture and Marketing of Pet Food (AS5812) and the costs of establishing the associated framework for enforcement, including mechanisms for recall and investigation of suspected adverse events (expansion of the PetFAST system). The PetFAST system requires development and ongoing funding to remain viable – the AVA proposes that the Government provide $600,000 for the development phase (first 3 years) then an ongoing commitment of $180,000 annually (as set out in our submission dated 9 April 2020 accounting for inflation).
  5. Setting the health of Australia up for success – data collection
    1. Workforce data (supply) – That the Commonwealth Government invest in improved data collection, analysis and workforce planning for the veterinary sector through providing funding to the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council to implement a national data collection system to collect reliable national data on the nature of the veterinary workforce to facilitate workforce modelling and planning for future needs.
    2. Workforce data (demand) – That the Commonwealth Government plan for, and fund, veterinary services in areas of public need, including:
      1. Animal welfare;
      2. Biosecurity
      3. Animal population control (e.g. desexing animals);
      4. Care of animals owned by the crown (e.g. wildlife);
      5. Care of unowned animals (strays); and
      6. Emergency care of owned and unowned animals in natural disasters.
  6. Securing the next generation of veterinarians
    1. University funding – That the Commonwealth Government increase funding rate per veterinary EFTSL by at least 30 per cent.

Read the full submission here.