NT Division Update - April

The NT Division held their 2023 Annual Meeting during the NT Division Conference in March.

It was very pleasing to have a significant representation of NT members attending the meeting in person.

Information was presented on the AVA’s activities and operations for 2022. Dr Marie Quin provided her President’s report and also thanked outgoing committee members Drs Kimball Smith and Alexandra Hesford for their dedicated continuous service over the last 9 years – which makes them ineligible to continue on the committee in 2023. Dr Marie Quin continues as President, with Alex Burleigh, Amanda Dunn, Vanessa Hansen, Amy Harding continuing as committee.

One of the four remaining casual vacancies have been filled subsequent to the Annual Meeting – we welcome to the committee Dr Chelsea Smart. Roles also to be filled are; Policy Councillor, Advocacy Forum Representative and President-elect. Please contact robyn.whitaker@ava.com.au if you would like more information on these roles or to nominate for the remaining two committee positions.

The focus of advocacy work supporting the NT Division has continued around increasing both vet and vet nurse workforce capacity. We are communicating with government and other sectors around the availability of government funded vet nurse training and also paid government vacation training programs for vet students.

The AVA NT Division have an event planned for later in the year to network with vet students from the NT and are also facilitating social media interaction amongst this group. The aim of these activities is to encourage graduates to return to the NT to work.

At national level, AVA advocacy continues in the focus areas of:

• Attract more vets to regional communities,
• Prioritise veterinary workforce sustainability,
• Formalise the role of veterinarians in biosecurity policy through funding models,
• Improve mental health support for veterinarians.