Advocacy update - March 2022

21 Mar 2022

Hello colleagues, 

Our thoughts are with our colleagues who have been affected by the floods in NSW and QLD. We hope that during the recovery phase you are able to access the support you require. For members who are looking for a way to assist, donating to the Veterinary Benevolent Fund helps support veterinary professionals in need. 

Advocacy update for February/ March 2022 

Key activities   
  • Floods in Queensland and NSW – the flood events in QLD and NSW are severely impacting affected communities. The veterinary profession has been impacted through disruption to services, dealing with sick and injured animals and in some cases complete loss of businesses. The profession has come together as it always does in time of crisis to work for the collective. The AVA has: 
    • Communicated with the profession via the crisis resource page on how to help through volunteering though Vets Beyond Borders and providing financial assistance via donations to the AVA Veterinary Benevolent Fund.  Members have also provided resources to assist those on the ground to care for affected animals, which can be found on the crisis resource page, under additional resources and information. We have updated the profession with information on the amazing work that is being undertaken by the profession. 
    • Reached out, via the Member Services team, to members severely impacted by the floods to check in with, and assist wherever possible.  The results of the small survey undertaken around the impact of the floods on veterinary practices affected can be found here. We are looking at how we can further assist.  
    • Worked with members to set up an EVA-driven “hotline” to provide vets on the ground with support with telehealth specialist expertise if they wish to utilise it. 
  •  Emergency Animal Diseases - there are two emergency animal diseases that are of current concern. For both of the diseases the AVA, through their subject matter experts, are contributing to feedback around the response. We are communicating our up-to-date information as it comes to hand. 
  • TGA decision on scheduling of injectable meloxicam - the profession’s voice has been heard. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced an interim decision  to not amend the current scheduling  of injectable meloxicam from S4 to S6. Thank you to all members who contributed to this campaign. More information can be found here. 
  • The 2022 Federal Election Platform has been completed and this document complements the 2022/23 Pre-Budget Submission  which was submitted to treasury in late January.  We have written to, and are aiming to meet with, relevant stakeholders over the coming weeks to discuss the election platform. Multiple media releases will be developed over coming weeks to communicate our platform to the community.  We are also looking for your support to get the message out to your local candidates, more information here.
  • Public awareness of the Veterinary Profession project - the AVA Board has approved a broad strategy that was informed by member research and internal feedback to improve community education and awareness of the veterinary profession. This process involved determining the outcomes to be achieved, the awareness or education that needs to occur, and high-level strategy to achieve this. We are asking for your comments to develop the detail around this strategy and the operational plan that accompanies it. Please find the link to the news item for more details or go straight to the survey for your comments. 
  • Policy advisory Council Update - member comments were received during January and February on a tranche of policies; these have now been updated by their working groups and will progress as final drafts to the PAC meeting in May. Thank you to those members who provided valuable input to this process. An additional tranche of pre-final drafts is also being worked on by PAC members currently, for May’s annual meeting. 

Since the last PAC update, another significant policy has been ratified by the Board, the Climate Change and Animal Health, Welfare and Production policy. This is an update of the former position statement to a clearer policy statement, which articulates a consensus view of the membership following significant consultation. The new policy outlines the latest science on the topic, and provides clarity around the role of the profession in responding to and mitigating climate change impacts.    

  • COVID-19 – we continue to work hard on your behalf advocating for you to government as well as communicating to the community about the challenges the profession is facing.  We have been providing updates on developing COVID-19 issues and new information we receive from a range of organisations as it is produced. During February these updates were: 

The COVID-19  restrictions are relaxing on the east coast, but in the west, cases and restrictions are increasing. We continuing to monitor developments closely; in the meantime, more COVID-19 information can be found on the COVID-19 Info Hub. 

Key advocacy activities (Divisions): 

Victoria   

  • The AVA has been supportive of a new project by Dr Hugh Millar and The Department of Agriculture Water and the Environment (DAWE) to develop strategies to improve animal disease surveillance in the more remote or isolated areas of southern Australia (VIC, WA, SA, TAS. and NSW) biosecurity project. 
  • The AVA continues to work closely with Animal Welfare Victoria, part of Agriculture Victoria’s Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions to assist in considering the impact on Victorian veterinarians and animal welfare of COVID-19 restrictions. This allowed the early adoption of essential worker close contacts exemptions to be achieved in Victoria allowing workplace flexibility to ease the difficulties faced by veterinary hospitals and to achieve animal welfare.
  • AVA is integrally involved in discussions of wildlife and the emergency treatment of wildlife through the Wildlife reference group, Wildlife welfare communications group and the Wildlife Emergency Support Network (WESN) which brings together non-government organisations, wildlife rescuers, rehabilitators and wildlife transporters, general practice veterinarians and veterinary nurses, wildlife veterinarians and veterinary nurses and zookeepers to assist during bushfire emergency response events where wildlife may be impacted. 
  • The AVA is involved in discussions to consider the New Animal Welfare Act as a stakeholder, communicating the importance of considering any implications for veterinarians.  
  • On the 24th February, amendments to the Domestic Animals Amendment (Reuniting Pets and Other Matters) Bill 2021 were passed to improve the process for reuniting pets with their owners. These come into effect later this year. This will allow veterinarians and animal shelters to scan for a microchip and reunite pets with their owners, currently unavailable without an 84Y agreement. AVA Victorian Division has worked and advocated for these changes of Reuniting Pets to the Domestic Animals Act through government submission and by providing information to Members of Parliament (Mr Rod Barton MP & Mr Andy Merrick MP) to assist them in communicating AVA support and concerns associated with these changes. Information on veterinary mental health impacted by high workload was also communicated to assist in the consideration of any impacts on veterinary hospitals when regulations are drafted. Further details of this amendment will follow.  
  • UoM: The DVM 1 students of the University of Melbourne began their veterinary careers in O week and were warmly welcomed by the AVA with an address, prizes and student membership which will continue throughout their education and offer resources and support. 

Tasmania  

  • Legislative changes will occur for the management of cats from March 1st, 2022. It is important for cat owners and veterinarians to be aware of the changes which affect desexing, microchipping, the keeping and minding of cats on a property, rehoming and cat trapping. For more information on the Cat Management Act 2009 visit: https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/invasivespecies/cat-management-in-tasmania 
  • AVA continues to represent veterinarians on the Wildlife Rehabilitation Sector Strategy Implementation Body to produce a strategy for the management of wildlife in Tasmania. 
  • AVA has assisted the media with information about the management of wildlife euthanasia from roadkill in Tasmania 

NSW  

ACT  

  • The ACT Minister for Health responded to AVA advocacy seeking an expansion of the Standing Exemption for essential workers to include ACT veterinary workers. We are pleased to advise the Chief Health Officer considered AVA advocacy and has signed a standing exemption commencing on the 4th March 2022 extending the definition of an essential worker to include Veterinary service workers are defined in the standing exemption as follows: 
    • A person who is employed by or engaged by a veterinary practice; and/or  
    • A person who provides laboratory and diagnostic services to a veterinary practice 

NT 

  • The Division has written to the Minister for Industry considering the recent appointment of a lawyer as chair of the NT Vet Board, and has asked for a meeting with the Minister to discuss the appointment.   
  • The NT Government has advised that it considers that the Animal Protection Act 2018 regulations should only apply to fish in captivity and crustaceans for sale. The Division is seeking a meeting with the Minister for Agribusiness and Aquaculture to put forward that the AVA is of the opinion that all marine animals should be covered by the Act.  

QLD  

  • The Division has been working hard to support members who have impacted by the recent floods. The Queensland Government has also made available assistance available to small business with low interest loans. https://www.qrida.qld.gov.au/business  
  • The Division put in a submission to the Mental Health Select Committee  on the Inquiry into the  opportunities to improve mental health outcomes for Queenslanders. 

SA  

  • The Division has released a State Election Platform (https://www.ava.com.au/news/sa-election-2022/) ahead of the upcoming March Election in South Australia. The Election Platform highlights the workforce challenges that the veterinary profession is facing. It is calling on the next South Australian Government to support the profession in a number of key areas: 
    • Mental health support for veterinary professionals
    • Assistance in addressing workforce shortages 
    • Progressing amendments to the Veterinary Practice Act 

WA  

  • The WA Veterinary Practice Act 2021 was passed by Parliament late last year. The Department are currently developing the regulations that will sit under the Act. The Division is currently engaged in writing a submission to prescribe what will be ‘acts of veterinary medicine’ under these regulations.  
  • The Division is also discussing hospital standards and the process for review and implementation of new standards with the VSBWA. 

Key advocacy activities (Special Interest Groups): 

Australian Cattle Veterinarians Cattle (ACV) 

  • The Australian Beef Sustainability Framework consultative committee is working towards finalisation of the ABSF 2022 Annual Update. ACV has been advocating for further detail in the Animal Welfare and Disease indicators section. 
  • ACV reviewed and provided feedback to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment on the Culicoides sp. AUSVETPLAN consultation. 
  • The Lumpy Skin Disease AUSVETPLAN was released for consultation and is currently being reviewed by the SIG to determine if a submission is required. 
  • ACV has worked in with the WA Division on providing a combined response to the proposed acts of veterinary medicine under the WA Veterinary Practice Act 2021. 
  • The Australian Accredited Veterinarians working group along with the Australian Veterinarians for Animal Welfare and Ethics Group to develop a submission in response to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s draft review of Live export by sea during the Northern hemisphere summer. 
  • The ACV Executive will be providing guidance to the development of the QLD lay pregnancy testing accreditation program. 

Australian Small Animal Veterinarians (ASAV) 

  • ASAV are currently collaborating with Dr Bradley Galgut to develop guidelines for small animal veterinary clinics for quality point—of-care-testing for in-house diagnostic pathology. 
  • ASAV representatives contributed to the WA Acts of Veterinary Science consultation process 
  • ASAV have promoted their “Standards of Care – Regular health check standards for dogs and cats” to ASAV SIG members in a recent eNews in response to feedback provided by a community member. 
  • Several ASAV members have participated in media engagements (including radio interviews; a discussion piece on “The Project” on breeding of brachycephalic dogs; brachycephalic dog breeders; and point of sale information for pet owners 
  • ASAV continue to promote the uptake of pet insurance by pet owners to increase animal welfare, and reduce difficult conversations that may be required due to lack of finances. 

Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA) 

  • EVA has assisted NSW race day veterinarians on negotiating a 40% pay increase to undertake race day services. 
  • The EVA worked with members to set up a “hotline” to provide vets on the ground with support with telehealth specialist expertise if they wish to utilise it. 
  • The EVA has been working to inform members as well as contribute to the response to the Japanese Encephalitis outbreak  

Australian Pig Veterinarians (APV)  

  • THE APV have been working to inform members as well as contribute to the response to the Japanese Encephalitis outbreak 

The Australian Veterinarians in Industry Group (AVI) 

  • AVI members have been working closely with the Advocacy team as the subject matter experts to prepare and participate in external  stakeholder meetings with various groups who have a role in veterinary medicines.  

Public affairs update 

During February and March 2022 the AVA participated in a wide range of external stakeholder meetings, covering a wide range of issues from animal welfare, regulatory issues, (including veterinary medicines), workforce sustainability, COVID-19 and biosecurity. 

Since the last report the AVA has featured in the media and social media regularly. The topics that the AVA has provided comment on are: 

  • Brachycephalic dogs  
  • Workforce sustainability 
  • Dangers of flood waters 
  • Rescheduling of lidocaine 
  • Canine behaviour and COVID-19 
  • Pet insurance 
  • Pet food standards 

We hope you are all staying safe in these challenging times and welcome any feedback you have around our updates, please email publicvetaffairs@ava.com.au 

Best Wishes 

Cristy,  Graham, Melanie, Danny and Jeffrey, on behalf of the Veterinary and Public Affairs team