NSW Division President's Report - July 2024

June was a significant month for the veterinary industry in NSW. Not only did the Veterinary Practitioners Board celebrate their 100^th birthday with the Centenary Veterinary Awards, but the NSW Parliamentary Committee which conducted the Inquiry into the Veterinary Workforce Shortage in NSW released their report last Friday.

The Centenary Veterinary Awards were held at Parliament House in Sydney, and ranged from celebrating pioneers of the veterinary industry posthumously to awarding those who are currently changing the face of the veterinary landscape for the better through their meritorious service and leadership. It was heartening to see the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of award recipients who had passed, that continued the legacy of their ancestors by becoming veterinarians. AVA NSW extends its heartfelt congratulations to recipients of the Centenary Awards and congratulates the VPB on a very successful event.

The NSW Parliamentary Committee responsible for the Inquiry into the Veterinary Workforce Shortage in NSW published their report on the 28^th of June. This comprehensive report detailed 17 findings and 34 recommendations, which were overwhelmingly supportive of our profession and of the 2023 submission the AVA made to the Inquiry. In fact, the AVA was mentioned in the report 188 times, highlighting how critical the voices of the AVA membership are in advocating for and supporting our profession. Your membership and your voice matters.

The AVA conducted a preliminary workshop with board members, executive officers, Presidents of various SIGs, NSW committee members and the communications team on Monday, with an aim to analyse the report and determine where to direct advocacy efforts. Many of the AVA administration staff have been working countless hours behind the scenes on this project and we thank them for their diligence and hard work. The AVA has also been in touch with various media outlets, and the communication team headed by Alice Marshall have worked through the weekend assisting with this.

Now begins the long road of formulating positions on the recommendations, liaising with stakeholders and the government, and awaiting the government response (which is estimated to take up to three months). Rest assured, we will tirelessly advocate for the profession and make the most of this opportunity.

In early June, members of the NSW committee met with the Office of Local Government regarding the upgrade to the NSW Pet Registry platform. The OLG plans a “soft roll out” of the upgraded veterinary side of the platform, with a view to evolving it over a 2 year period in response to feedback from the veterinary profession. The new Pet Registry was launched on the 2^nd of July and we are expecting communication regarding the upgrade to veterinary professionals this week. We will continue to liaise with the OLG regarding the platform to ensure member feedback is incorporated into its formulation.

Finally, the NSW Committee meeting in June was productive as always, and our focus on helping members activate and re-activate branches continues. Please do reach out if we can assist you with this, or any other concerns. We are here to help.

Warmly,

Amy

NSW Division President