Advocacy update - October/November 2022

02 Dec 2022

 

Hello colleagues, 

Once again, it’s been a busy couple of months for the AVA in several different areas. 

Key advocacy and public affairs updates for October/November 2022 

The President, Dr Bronwyn Orr, has recently released the AVA’s 2022-2024 strategic plan, which can be read here. There are a number of aspects of the plan that relate to advocacy and public affairs. 

Since the last update, the AVA has made 13 submissions on a variety of issues. We continue to encourage you to get involved to provide input into activities that the AVA is commenting on or undertaking.  

 Specific Advocacy Issues 

Value of the Profession 

Emergency Animal Diseases - the AVA continues to provide representation on the numerous industry and government working groups and task forces that are in operation for diseases of highest risk. There has been a number of consultations around biosecurity that the AVA has made submission to, the most recent submission made is on national biosecurity funding sustainability 

Centre for Disease Control (CDC)

  • AVPH has been working closely with the national advocacy team in progressing AVA advocacy around the development of an Australian CDC. In this, we are pushing strongly for the CDC to be based on a One Health framework. This has included: 

Advocacy on National Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements - The AVA are working at the national level to advocate for veterinary care of disaster-impacted owned animals to be eligible for funding assistance in the national Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).  

TGA decision on scheduling of lidocaine and transmucosal meloxicam – Despite putting in submissions opposing the decisions, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) confirmed the interim decision around the scheduling decisions on lidocaine and transmucosal meloxicam. This means that: 

  • A specific oral transmucosal MELOXICAM product will be available without prescription (S6), effective 1st February 2023.  
  • The existing S5 entry for lidocaine when packaged in a container with a tamper resistant cartridge which can only be dispensed through a rubber ring applicator remains. 

Workforce sustainability and wellbeing 

Veterinary Education – The activity of the last few months has continued. The most recent process that the AVA has been engaged in is providing feedback and a submission to the VSANZ Review of Veterinary Education. 

Public benefits of veterinary services – To better understand the contribution of the veterinary profession to animal health, welfare, and public health in Australia, the AVA engaged Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA), advisors in economics, public policy, markets and strategy who produced “The value of veterinarians to Australia: Public and private benefits”. 

This report provided information on the valuable role that the veterinary profession provides to animal health, welfare and public health and further clarification on who is benefitting: where private benefits are received directly by private animal owners and public benefits advantage the broader Australian community. 

HECs fee forgiveness for recent veterinary graduates – The AVA continues to advocate for this initiative and has raised this issue when we have met with government representatives over the last two months. We will submit this proposal in our pre-budget submission for the 2023 budget. 

Employment White Paper – Following the Jobs and Skills Summit held in September 2022, the Commonwealth Government is developing a White Paper on Employment. The AVA has made a formal submission to this discussing key issues related to the veterinary profession. AVA Submission on the Commonwealth Government Employment White Paper 

Policy Advisory Council (PAC) Update 

The AVA’s Policy Advisory Council has several working groups focussed on updating and formulating new policies. A number of policies have reached a decision point and have gone to the AVA Board for approval. Once ratified they will be listed in the next update. 

Key advocacy activities (Divisions): 

Victoria

  • AVA submission for reforming Victoria’s biosecurity legislation - The AVA was pleased to contribute a submission at the Victorian government's request for feedback to assist the reform of Victoria’s biosecurity legislation. 
  • Assistance for veterinarians impacted by Victorian floods 2022 - The AVA has been lobbying the Victorian Government for additional assistance for veterinarians affected by the floods. There is some support available for those impacted – information can be found here. 
  • Melbourne University – Proposed changes to U-Vet Animal Hospital - Veterinarians, students and the community have a range of concerns and AVA understands that there will likely be impact from these changes, particularly with the potential loss of a university teaching hospital. It is important that the University communicates clearly with the profession, staff and student body and the AVA are actively offering to assist in this process. The AVA is working on an online meeting for members to hear directly from the University. 
  • State Election – in the lead up to the Victorian State Election the AVA released its Election Platform and held meetings with political stakeholders. With the return of the Andrews Labor Government last weekend, we will continue to build on these relationships. 

Tasmania

  • Review of the Veterinary Service Standards- The Veterinary Board of Tasmania has released the fully revised draft Veterinary Service Standards for public consultation. The AVA is preparing a submission and has invited feedback from members. 
  • Committee members and AVA advocacy staff are working hard to bring about changes to veterinary care of wildlife. We are talking to government officials to get the unpaid veterinary work for wildlife recognised and hopefully bring about reform to this. In the coming months we will be reaching out to veterinary practices to try to collect some data about the amount of unpaid work we are doing for our wildlife. Veterinarians treat wildlife to the best of their ability due to their personal and professional ethics, but this is costing veterinary practices a large amount of money and is causing extra emotional and mental strain for the staff.  
  • The Tasmanian Division released a media release supporting the Government moves to ban prong collars. 

New South Wales

  • NSW Rehoming Practices Review - The AVA made a submission on the NSW Government review of rehoming practices. The submission was made following a survey of the AVA membership on their experiences with stray animals. Veterinary practices are often the entry point for strays in the rehoming process and should be considered as part of the NSW Rehoming Practices Review. 
  • Discussions between the NSW Division and the Department of Primary Industries resulted in the development of a Vet Engagement Project to improve the involvement of private veterinarians in all hazards emergencies (including emergency animal diseases and natural or man-made disasters). The Project includes DPI as the lead with AVA, Vets Beyond Borders, Veterinary Practitioners Board and Local Land Services.  
  • NSW State Election – With the state election coming in March 2023, the Division, following member consultation, is developing an election platform which will be released soon. 

Australian Capital Territory

  • Animal Welfare Standards - The ACT Division committee has been busy advocating for high standards of animal husbandry and welfare, and for the role of veterinarians in animal care. Extensive and detailed comments on draft updates to the ACT’s Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs and of Horses in July were made - our submissions have been acknowledged and we await a response from the ACT Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and ACT Government.  

Queensland

  • EAD Preparedness – AVA QLD Committee workshop with DAF/BQ – The Division met with both Dr Allison Crook (QLD Chief Veterinary Officer) and Dr Fiona Thompson (Director, Animal Biosecurity & Welfare) joined the QLD Division Committee’s September meeting to identify and discuss gaps in the EAD preparedness of QLD DAF/BQ. Issues that were discussed included:  
    • Paying of vets seconded to DAF/BQ work in the event of an EAD incursion  
    • EAD training for vets (including those who don’t usually work with livestock)  
    • Laboratory accessibility and transport costs for testing suspected EAD and notifiable disease cases in regional areas 
  • Poultry Standards implementation in Queensland - The AVA continues to be involved and informed with issues such as this, attending meetings run by DAF and BQ.  

South Australia

  • SAVEM in 2022 - South Australian Veterinary Emergency Management (SAVEM) Inc began 2022 with a one-week deployment to the pine/eucalypt plantation Coles fire in the South-East, near Lucindale. 
  • Veterinary Legislation – The Minister has written to the AVA indicating that the development of new veterinary practice legislation is moving to the next stage. The AVA will be meeting with PIRSA in December to discuss the proposed legislation. 
  • Veterinary Board – Over the past few months, the Minister has been recruiting for a Chair to the SA Vet Board as the current term expires at the end of this year. The AVA was asked to provide a representative to be on the selection panel. Given the importance of the role to the profession, the AVA was pleased to be involved in the process.   

Northern Territory

  • Workforce shortages – Vets and qualified Nurses - The NT Division committee is exploring avenues for addressing the shortage of vets and qualified vet nurses in the NT. Data is being collected on NT vet student enrolments at Australian universities to help inform us for future discussions with appropriate stakeholders.  
  • NT Government EAD preparedness register - The NT Government are seeking expressions of interest from anyone who would like to register for EAD preparedness training and activities. Please visit Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory | Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade for more information 
  • Qualified Vet Nurse capacity and challenges - NT practices were asked to provide input on qualified vet nurse capacity and barriers to becoming Cert IV qualified in the NT.  The committee is looking at investigating if there are opportunities for government financial support for Vet Nurse Cert IV courses for NT based students or the provision of locally based courses by training organisations. 

Western Australia

  • Members of the WA Division Committee met with representatives from DPIRD to discuss ongoing efforts to address animal hoarding. The President of the WA Division, Dr Garnett Hall attended the advancing animal welfare forum and held separate discussions with the RSPCA on several animal welfare initiatives. 
  • WA Vet Regs Tranche 2 consultation – updates - DPIRD is progressing the review of submissions and related activities, the timeframes of which have been impacted by matters such as the enhanced/heightened FMD and LSD preparedness activities. DPIRD released a paper in September on the proposed regulatory approach for pregnancy testing and spaying of cattle, taking into account the diverse views of stakeholders. DPIRD will incorporate this regulatory approach into the second phase of the Veterinary Practice Regulations which will subsequently be released for consultation. The AVA will prepare a response for when the opportunity to comment is open. 
  • Animal Welfare Act - A request was made by Peter Foster MLC for AVA comment on a petition around increasing the minimum penalty for animal abuse in the WA Animal Welfare Act. The AVA’s response letter included flagging the AVA’s concern relating to the subject of Western Australia not legally allowing veterinarians to euthanise animals on welfare grounds without the permission of the owner. Thus, placing veterinarians in very difficult situations when these circumstances arise and leading to the unnecessary prolonging of suffering of animals. The AVA along with other stakeholders are seeking  information on the status and timeframe of modernising the WA Animal Welfare Act - as this was the first of five key areas of reform that was proposed in the WA Government’s response to the review of the WA Animal Welfare Act undertaken in 2019-2022.  
  • Comments invited on measures to enhance horse welfare in WA - The WA Government is calling for input from the WA community and organisations to improve the health and welfare of horses in our State. The WA Division is working with the EVA on this submission. 

Key advocacy activities (Special Interest Groups):

Australian Veterinary Student Group 

  • During October and November, routine engagement with students were carried out at Transition to Profession events and Trade Fairs at their respective veterinary campuses, allowing better integration of vet students into their graduate life. 
  • AVSG EO has engaged with AVA members in the Working Sustainability Working Group to discuss updating the AVA Graduate Employer Policy and also to discuss Veterinary Internship Guidelines. 

Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest Group 

  • AVBIG is engaging with the RSPCA to advocate and educate around the environmental needs for confined cats. 
  • AVBIG also made a submission to the VSANZ Review of Veterinary Education  

Unusual Pet and Avian Veterinarians 

  • UPAV is working on an advocacy project to improve meat rabbit welfare. 
  • UPAV is providing subject matter expertise to other stakeholder groups on a Small mammals, birds, and reptiles knowledgebase project 
  • Calicivirus (RHDV) - rabbit vaccination - The AVA, through UPAV, has been advocating on the issue of RHDV and was pleased to see the licencing of the Filavac VHD K C + V is an inactivated bivalent vaccine for rabbits against RHDV (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus) types 1 and 2. 

Australian Small Animal Veterinarians 

  • ASAV is investigating working with the RSPCA on a project to progress a feline prepubertal desexing education campaign which aims to educate both and the public of the benefits of this procedure. 

Equine Veterinarians Australia 

  • As a member of the Federal Government’s Horse Industry Consultative Committee the EVA has supported the Emergency Permit Use Application for an equine JEV vaccine. If the Permit is approved, EVA commits to informing all members without delay using the AVA Newsletter and EVA eNews 
  • Through membership of the Queensland Government’s Horse Biosecurity Market Access Liaison Group (HBMALG), the EVA has requested the Qld Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) meet an adopted recommendation 7.1 of the Martin Inquiry, i.e. publish annual injury, death, euthanasia, slaughter and retirement data for racing and retired Thoroughbreds.  
  • EVA has supported the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia’s (TBA) call to the Federal Government to develop National Standards of Welfare for Horses.  
  • EVA supported AVA in developing an October submission into a COAG Working Group to Improve Transport Standards for horses.   

Australian Cattle Veterinarians 

  • The EAD veterinary summit hosted by the ACV was held in late November. This event addressed how the private veterinary sector can help combat the growing range of serious biosecurity threats facing Australia. The summit brought veterinarians from government, industry and clinical practice together, which is essential to make sure the profession will be able to play their role in an EAD response. A media release can be found here. 

Australian Greyhound Working and Sporting Dog Veterinarians Group 

  • AGWSDV advocated to QLD Racing on racetrack design. The research is now compelling that straight tracks, as opposed to circular tracks, reduce all injuries in Greyhounds, with a major reduction in catastrophic injuries.  

Australian Veterinary Public Health  

  • AVPH has been working closely with the national advocacy team in progressing AVA advocacy around the Australian CDC being based on a one health framework. 

Public Affairs Update 

During October and November, the AVA participated in a wide range of external stakeholder meetings, covering a range of issues from animal welfare, regulatory issues, pet food standards, graduate transition, antimicrobial stewardship and biosecurity.  

Since the last report the AVA has featured in the media and social media regularly. There have been seven media releases which can be found here.  

We wish you the very best for the festive season and hope that you are able to spend some time with your loved ones. 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 and Public Affairs team