Victorian Division President's Report June 2024
05 Jun 2024
May was dominated by 2 events in Victoria: an outbreak of avian influenza and the AVA conference.
HPAI (H7N3) was identified on a caged, barn and free-range production egg farm near Meredith, followed by the H7N9 strain of AI on a property in Terang days later. The Australian Government enacted its emergency animal disease response plans to support the Victorian Government while testing and containment were performed. Private vets were utilized to assist with this response. The veterinary community was kept informed via multiple sources, including the AVA providing links to the Agriculture Victoria website and the VetBoard sending out a veterinary alert from Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer. The AVA was also in personal contact with the office of the CVO to ensure we were kept informed. Wherever we are in the state and whatever type of role we have within the veterinary profession, keeping up-to-date on outbreaks such as this is essential so that we can help educate the public, and alleviate their concerns where appropriate. With recent media coverage of the global outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in birds and mammals, which has spread rapidly across most continents including Antarctica, it was important to note that this was not the strain found during these outbreaks and that Australia is still free of this strain of HPAI.
For those with clients with poultry it is important to educate them regarding the clinical signs of AI and the requirement to report any suspect or confirmed cases to Agriculture Victoria via the Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 888) as it is a notifiable disease. The public, especially those with poultry, also need to be aware that it is commonly spread via wild birds which are considered a natural host for AI, and that although it is highly contagious in birds, it is rare to spread to humans but may occur if there is close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments. This is the reason that depopulation of infected properties is required. Another concern for the general public was the threat to their food chain, and again, as veterinarians we are in a privileged position to confirm that there were no food safety issues associated with cooked chicken meat or eggs in light of the AI outbreak. We, as highly educated veterinary professionals, play a vital role in conveying this information to the public and promoting verified data sources such as the Agriculture Victoria website.
With the AVA conference in Melbourne, I was able to meet with the Commerical Poultry Veterinarians SIG president, Angela Scott, to fully understand the recent outbreak in Victoria, as well as chatting with vets who contributed to the AgVic response. This has been an example of DEECA utilising private vets to buoy the workforce of the department to ensure adequate resources were available for testing of poultry in the vicinity of the outbreak. AVA will continue to advocate to safeguard the remuneration and conditions of vets working in these situations.
And what a great week in Melbourne for the AVA conference! Melbourne turned on the weather, and the AVA turned on the festivities.
For me, the Council of Presidents meeting began the official events, and was a great way to hear from other Division and SIG presidents, share our successes and chew the fat over future plans. It was also valuable to hear from Melissa King, the AVA’s recently appointed CEO who was eager to listen and willing to answer questions and address issues raised during this session. It is a privilege to be invited to attend this face-to-face meeting at the annual conference and contribute to the conversations held with the varying levels of the AVA from around the country.
Thank-you to Professor Glenn Browning for representing the Victorian Division at Policy Advisory Council during the AVA conference.
I was asked near the end of the conference what my highlight of the week was. I would have to say that it was networking and socializing. Catching up with friends from vet school and previous workplaces, familiar faces from the profession, and colleagues from the AVA, as well as making new connections – it reminded me of why it is great to be part of the veterinary world. It was also an opportunity to catch up with some fellow Vic Div executive committee members (and our trusty advocacy officer!) and Victorian branch representatives – we communicate through emails and via Zoom frequently, so it is a treat to have had a chance to catch-up face-to-face over a cup of tea (or on the dance floor!).
The plenaries were another highlight. We were fortunate to attend 3 exemplary plenaries – thought provoking, reflective and informative sessions addressing ethics, mental health, governance and biosecurity. Of course, the entire program was jam-packed with content for everyone with the inevitable juggle of which lecture to attend in each session, and our industry colleagues provided us with ample opportunity to discuss products and services in the exhibition hall.
On Thursday night we said farewell to Diana Barker as President (she remains on the Board) in glittering fashion, and congratulated and welcomed Sally Colgan as our new AVA President. Thank you to Diana for your contribution over the last 12 months in advocating for our profession on the national stage, and for all the invisible work that occurred behind the scenes to achieve this.
Overall, the week was a celebration of our profession, an opportunity to learn and upskill, all in an environment in which to listen to others and contribute ideas. It was also the chance to network and socialize with colleagues and friends. I am already looking forward to the 2025 AVA Conference which will be held in Sydney next year for more professional connection and conversation.
Also in the last month, I held a discussion session with Victorian branch representatives to talk about the issues of concern amongst the branches and how we can work to improve the branch experience for AVA members in Victoria. The AVA is only as strong as its grass roots, and hence its branches, so it is important that we nurture these to provide an environment for connection as well as CPD in local areas. We will continue to talk, and I will continue to advocate for the branches within the AVA structure.
A couple of future events to note:
- AVA Member Forum online on Thursday 13th June – look out for further details in this newsletter and your inbox
- Victorian Division Annual General Meeting Tuesday July 23rd at 7pm online
Dr Cathy Deague
VIC Division President