AVA lodges submission on Racing QLD veterinary permit proposal

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has lodged a formal submission to Racing Queensland (RQ) expressing strong opposition to the proposed veterinary permit system under Australian Rules of Racing AR 2 and new rule AR 104B. The submission was developed by Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA) with our Advocacy team.

The proposed changes would introduce a parallel licensing regime for veterinarians providing services to the racing industry—despite veterinarians already being comprehensively regulated under existing state veterinary legislation. The AVA has raised concerns that this system would duplicate regulatory oversight, create administrative burden, increase costs, and risk undermining the authority of veterinary registration boards.

Key issues highlighted include:

• Duplication of regulation and erosion of existing professional oversight;
• Unclear and potentially overreaching powers of search and seizure granted to stewards;
• Lack of veterinary input in permit-related decisions and investigations or disciplinary actions;
• Reduced willingness of mixed practice vets who may be unwilling to continue servicing the racing industry under a dual regulatory model.

The AVA is calling for withdrawal of the proposed permit system, and instead recommends collaborative development of a Code of Conduct for veterinarians working in racing, in partnership with RQ and industry stakeholders.

Should the system proceed despite these concerns, the AVA has outlined minimum requirements for its design and implementation, including AVA-EVA involvement, peer-review mechanisms, respect for veterinary expertise, and streamlined administration.

We remain committed to engaging constructively with Racing Queensland and Racing Australia to ensure any regulatory changes uphold veterinary professional standards and equine welfare.

The full submission can be viewed here.