NSW Division President Update - October 2023

Dr Zachary Lederhose, President NSW Division

What a great start to spring it has been!

The warmer weather brings its familiar friends and foes – whether it is itchy dogs or snake bites, clinics across the state are switching gears into the busy summer season. Summer is also a time for disasters, and the AVA is engaged at the federal and state level to advocate for the engagement of vets in these disasters. Not only do we need to get vets mobilised quickly, but we need them to also be properly remunerated for their work. While we need a national approach, vets in NSW can benefit from funding to complete their AIIMS course thanks to the DPI. For those vets who are affected by fires or floods please reach out to AVA member services and we can get you in touch with the response coordinators where appropriate.

Earlier this month the NSW Division Committee and representatives from the Veterinary Business Group (VBG) SIG met with the office of the Small Business Commissioner to discuss some of the issues affecting veterinary practices across the state. Some of the things to come up involved the provision of pro-bono work, interactions with pounds, and the impact of client aggression upon people working within veterinary practices. This was the start of our engagement with the small business commissioner, and we are hopeful that our advocacy for veterinarians and everybody who works in veterinary practices continues to be productive.

It seems that the parliamentary inquiries don’t stop, but NSW has been involved in 3 inquiries so far this year for the NSW upper house, and we are engaged with another one coming up soon. The Vet Shortage Inquiry , the Inquiry into Aerial Shooting of Brumbies, and the Inquiry into Pounds in NSW all relied on input from AVA members, committees, and staff. Another one into The Management of Cats in NSW will be no different. Most vets in NSW treat cats, and we want to make sure that we use this as a chance to propose solutions to a complex problem for the cats and wildlife of the state.

Last year a new act was passed which regulates medicines in NSW. The Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022 is having regulations drawn up at the moment. These will have a direct impact on vets in NSW. Our contribution to this process will be in conjunction with the Australian Veterinarians in Industry (AVI) SIG, but we will be relying on members in order to make our voices heard and ensure there are no unintended impacts on veterinarians. It is also a potential way to crack down on laypeople prescribing and administering drugs that they shouldn’t be, so may have a broader impact on our profession and our patients. Keep an eye out for an email with further details in coming days.

Later this month the NSW Division will be meeting in Sydney for our first face-to-face meeting of the year. We have a lot on the agenda already but if there is anything you would like discussed or raised for the Committee please reach out to our Senior Advocacy Officer, Liz Gemes at liz.gemes@ava.com.au

Happy Vetting!

Zach Lederhose
AVA NSW Division President