VIC Division President's Report - September 2024

Last month we said goodbye to Kristen Steele as Vic Division’s advocacy officer and support person. Kristen has worked tirelessly for the AVA for many years, and for most of my time on the Victorian Division Executive Committee she has kept us informed, on track and organised. I will miss our regular touch-base meetings and her passionate support of the AVA, the Victorian Division and the veterinary profession. Although she is no longer on staff with the AVA, she is an AVA member and a friend who I am sure we will continue to see and hear from as she continues her research into veterinary workforce issues. Best of luck in your endeavours, Kristen!

Late in July, the Victorian Government released the engagement summary for the Animal Care and Protection Bill. This demonstrated strong support for the addition of sentience and animal care and protection obligations in the draft Bill. We are still waiting for further information regarding the regulations that are deferred to throughout the draft Bill, and will continue to update you as we receive further information regarding the development of this modern animal welfare legislation. If you haven’t already read it, you can access the AVA’s submission to the Victorian Animal Care and Protection Bill and the regulations here.

Last month a cattle truck crash in inner Melbourne created an animal welfare disaster with 33 cattle requiring euthanasia. This horrific incident highlighted an issue we see more commonly with wildlife around who is responsible to attend and treat animals in these situations, and who is accountable for the cost. Vets for Compassion are a volunteer group who regularly attend tragic events such as this, and who turned out on this occasion with no expectation of getting paid but because of a commitment to animal welfare. This is an example of the work vets do for the public good with little or no recognition or recompense. The Victorian Division assisted in facilitating a debrief for Vets For Compassion with DEECA and will continue to advocate for funding for vets who perform this work.

We are all aware of the workforce shortage issue facing the veterinary profession, and that this is critical in rural and regional areas. This was identified in the NSW Parliamentary Enquiry into Veterinary Workforce Shortage earlier in the year, is regularly a discussion point in Vic Div Executive Committee meetings and was also an issue raised at the recent AVA Advocacy Forum meeting. There is no easy solution to this issue, although HECS forgiveness schemes and promotion of rural veterinary practice to students along with support for placement opportunities are some ideas.

In Victoria, Veterinary Support Services (VSS) recently received a grant from the Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program through the Cattle Compensation Fund to deliver a livestock veterinary scholarship fund for early career vets across regional Victoria. This program aims to improve regional Victorian veterinary capacity and capability to support production animal health, welfare, biosecurity and emergency animal disease preparedness through provision of clinical supervision and structured training that equips graduate vets with the skills, experience, networks and support to launch and sustain a livestock veterinary career.

HECS debt relief payments are also a component of the scholarship. This is a great opportunity for early career vets and the clinics that employ them in regional and rural Victoria. VSS has been providing graduate support to vet clinics in Gippsland since 2022 and the grant received enables the roll out of the scholarship program across Victoria in 2025.

Hopefully programs such as this will provide incentive to early career vets to enter the Victorian rural/regional vet workforce and support sustainability of that career choice by enhancing capability and proficiency, and also improve retention of vets in our rural and regional communities. Applications for the Victorian Livestock Veterinary Scholarship Program are now open, so if you are interested or know an early career vet or veterinary clinic that could benefit from this scholarship, you can find all the information you need on the VSS website. I look forward to following the progress of this program and the successful candidates. It may not solve our workforce issues but it is certainly contributing to the solution.

With the end of the year approaching, our veterinary students are nearing the completion of their studies. If you see these students in your practice, can you remind them that student membership of the AVA is free and that they can access resources and support to assist them with the transition to practice, including the fabulous Graduate Mentoring Program.

Stay safe in this windy weather.

Cathy Deague

Victorian Division President