President’s message from Dr Gemma Chuck: October 2025

As we head towards the final months of the year, I’ve been reflecting on the extraordinary period of progress and partnership, both for the veterinary profession and the AVA. These past few weeks have been especially significant for our association, with milestones that mark real progress in our shared vision for a thriving veterinary profession. 

Constitution Vote 

On 30^th October, members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the revised Stage 3 Constitution Reform, with all 9 resolutions passing. This is a historic milestone that strengthens our governance and positions the AVA as a contemporary, member-focussed organisation. It is the culmination of years of careful review and consultation across our communities, and I want to thank every member who took part in this process as well as the Constitution Reform Working Group including Dr Simone Maher, Dr Stephen Yeomans, Dr Warwick Vale, Dr Wesley Simek and Mr Jeremy Lee for their commitment, robust insights and strong collaboration. 

Despite lots of practice sessions and safety nets for the unexpected, we encountered reasonably significant technical issues on the day. For those who attended, thank you for your patience and understanding. I have to say, it was an unforgettable meeting for me to Chair (!) but nevertheless the team showed determination and resilience to help resolve these issues and get us back on track. Despite these road bumps, I can assure members that quorum was achieved throughout the meeting, all votes were submitted via the correct voting process and results were not affected by any of these issues. All resolutions passed with the overwhelming majority in favour.

I would also like to thank the AVA staff team as well as the current Board and many past Board members who trailblazed this journey and built the momentum for meaningful and positive change. Their foresight laid the foundation for a stronger, modern and more inclusive AVA.  

Public awareness campaigns  

Public trust and understanding of the veterinary profession remain central to our advocacy. The Governance Institute Ethics Index Supplementary Report, commissioned in July and presented to the AVA Board in October, has offered valuable insights into how the public perceives our work. These findings will guide the development of our inaugural 2026 Public Awareness Campaign, as we seek to highlight the profound contribution of veterinarians in Australian communities. 

The past few months have also seen a wave of public-facing initiatives, including the AMA Pets in Australia report, the Governance Institute’s Ethics Index Report, and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Value Your Vet campaign, all of which highlight the essential role veterinarians play in preserving the health and wellbeing of our communities. Collaboration across these projects reminds us of the impact we can achieve when we work together towards a common goal. 

Veterinarians continue to play a critical role in protecting animal health, biosecurity and public confidence, especially in an age where misinformation can spread faster than fact.   
Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer recently highlighted the growing “infodemic” affecting animal health, which the AVA is helping address through clear, evidence-based communication in conjunction with government and industry. 

Gift-wrapped CPD

Across the profession, Special Interest Groups continue to share knowledge and connect members through events and webinars that are now free for all AVA members for the rest of the year! From Equine Biosecurity and Hendra virus to AI in Veterinary Education and Sustainability in Practice, these sessions make it easier than ever to learn from, collaborate with and stay connected to our peers. Events such as these strengthen our collective expertise and keep our members at the forefront of science and innovation.  

Supporting mental health month and safe workplaces 

October marked Mental Health Month and Safe Work Month, with the AVA’s THRIVE Cultivating Safe Teams (CST) AWARE program helping clinics and universities build psychologically safe and supportive environments.  It’s inspiring to see workplaces such as Sydney University’s Camden Hospital take part and share how valuable the program has been in strengthening team culture. Creating healthy and safe workplaces in all aspects of our profession remains central to THRIVE and we are proud of its impact in the veterinary community. 

Celebrating International One Health Day 

This week we also mark International One Health Day, recognising the vital connection between people, animals and our environment. As Dr Sarah Britton from the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control recently reminded us, effective One Health action requires coordination across all sectors, from protecting winter-flowering trees for bats to managing horse vaccination and human safety in response to Hendra virus. It is a timely reminder that these systems are intimately linked and that the health of one affects the health of all. 

Advocacy updates 

Our advocacy work continues with vigour and persistence. Following a successful visit to Parliament House in Canberra in August, the advocacy team are now preparing the AVA’s pre-budget submission to the federal government which is due late January 2026. Our submission will outline the key issues and challenges facing the profession, and provide factual, data-driven recommendations for consideration in the 2026/2027 federal budget.  To support the submission, we will be returning to Canberra in early 2026 to advocate to key ministers and maximise our growing political footprint. Government response to advocacy efforts is not always quick, but our commitment to representing and protecting the veterinary profession remains unwavering

Looking ahead 

As we begin planning for the New Year, our focus turns to the next phase of the Transition Project, including the delivery of the all-inclusive membership model. Guided by insights from last year’s Stakeholder Survey and member feedback throughout this year, the AVA team are also looking forward to re-designing AVA’s technology and digital systems.

The trial of the AVA Member Hub, powered by Circle, has been a positive first step in creating more meaningful connections across our communities. Technology continues to evolve at an incredible rate and the AVA needs to keep pace in this dynamic environment to meet member expectations and deliver an exceptional AVA experience.  

We look forward to sharing more with you soon and inviting you for input as this next phase unfolds. 

Wishing you a safe and sound lead-up to the silly season ahead!

Dr Gemma Chuck 

AVA President