AVA Submission into the Education and Other Legislation Amendment

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has submitted a statement to the Senate Standing Committees on Education and Employment expressing support for the Education and Other Legislation Amendment (Abolishing Indexation and Raising the Minimum Repayment Income for Education and Training Loans) Bill 2022.

The AVA endorses the measures in the bill aimed at improving the fairness of tertiary and vocational education loan schemes, including raising the minimum repayment threshold for tertiary education loans to the median wage and removing the indexation of these loans.

The AVA highlights the financial pressures faced by early career veterinarians due to low starting salaries and long-term underinvestment in the profession, which has led to high attrition rates among younger veterinarians.