AVA’s Pre budget submission

27 Jan 2023

The AVA has prepared a pre-budget submission for the 2023 May budget. The document makes recommendations around areas of priority for the AVA. For detailed information please read the submission. Four key recommendations have been made 

  1. Attract more veterinarians to regional communities:  

Introduce a Rural Bonding Scheme (HECS Forgiveness Scheme) for graduate veterinarians. The AVA estimates that this would cost $19.23 million over four years ($4.80 million per annum) and would wipe the HECS debt of 80 new graduates per year, boosting the veterinary workforce in these critically important regions. 

2. Prioritise veterinary workforce sustainability  

Invest in better data collection, analysis and workforce planning to ensure that future veterinary demand is matched by supply in a way that provides sufficient veterinarians, whilst realising the return on investment from veterinary training. Australia’s veterinary workforce capacity should be regularly audited against the present and future risks to Australia’s animal industries, and any deficits addressed. 

3. Formalise the role of veterinarians in biosecurity policy through funding models: 

The Australian government commit to perpetually funding the biosecurity system through a long-term sustainable, reviewable funding arrangement for biosecurity, including increasing specific investment in veterinary services, particularly rural and regional. Increased national investment and streamlining of funding mechanisms for onshore disease surveillance and associated diagnostic capabilities for private veterinarians and increased capacity within government veterinary services is requested.

4. Veterinary professionals – at greater risk of poor mental health 

Sectoral support of the veterinary profession ($3 million over four years) to establish a national veterinary profession led approach to improve veterinarian wellbeing and improve career satisfaction and sustainability via veterinary-focused mental health education campaigns, whole career mentoring/support and an accessible 24/7 veterinary friendly counselling service. 

Associated with the submission of this document to Treasury we put out the following media release, highlighting the HECS fee forgiveness scheme request and support of the scheme from veterinary students.