AVA 2025-26 Pre-Budget Submissions to State and Territory Governments

26 Sep 2025

The AVA are preparing to draft pre-budget submissions for each state and territory for the 2026/2027 financial year. AVA Members are encouraged to contribute by identifying possible priorities for inclusion in your state or territory’s pre-budget submission.

Purpose of a pre-budget submission

A pre-budget submission is a key mechanism through which organisations such as ours contribute to government policy and fiscal planning. It provides an opportunity for peak bodies, industry groups and community organisations to put forward the priorities, challenges and opportunities facing their sectors at a stage where government decisions on budget allocations are being developed.

The AVA pursues a wide range of advocacy priorities that reflect the breadth of issues impacting the veterinary profession, animal health and welfare, and the communities we serve. These priorities are designed to influence long-term policy development, regulatory reform, workforce sustainability, and improvements in professional wellbeing and standards.

While aligned with the AVA’s broader advocacy agenda, by contrast the recommendations presented in a pre-budget submission are more focused and serves a distinct purpose to ensure that the most urgent veterinary sector needs requiring government support are clearly identified and brought forward for consideration in the government annual budget process. They specifically identify veterinary priorities that require direct government support through budget allocations, funding programs, or targeted investment.

Examples of past AVA pre-budget submissions:

Examples of previous priorities included in pre-budget submissions:

  • Sustainability of the veterinary workforce

        - Build and retain regional veterinary workforce

        - Student placement support

        - Recent graduate support to practice in rural and regional areas

        - Education debt forgiveness

        - Childcare access

        - After hours services

  • Mental health support for the veterinary profession
  • Support for the veterinary public good activities:

        - Wildlife

        - Biosecurity

        - Stray animals

        - Disaster response

  • Increased support for government veterinarians
  • Support for veterinary care for persons experiencing vulnerabilities
  • Animal health and welfare

Timeframe and Process

Each state and territory government varies in how and when they call for public submissions to inform their annual budget process. In many cases, the timeframes for submissions are short, providing limited opportunity for organisations to prepare detailed recommendations once the formal call is made.

To ensure the veterinary profession is represented effectively across all jurisdictions, the AVA is proactively preparing submissions for each state and territory in advance of these calls. By finalising draft submissions before mid-January, the AVA will be ready to respond promptly regardless of when jurisdictions open their consultation windows.

To meet the mid-January deadline for preparing each state and territory pre-budget submissions, the AVA is seeking input from AVA Division Committees and AVA members to identify possible priorities for inclusion. This ensures that the issues raised are grounded in the experiences of veterinarians and reflect the most pressing needs within each jurisdiction.

The process will be as follows:

  • Gathering member input: AVA Division Committees and AVA members are invited to suggest potential priorities for inclusion in the submission.
  • Committee review and focus: AVA Division Committees will then review the suggested priorities and identify the top three to five issues that should form the focus of the submission.
  • Drafting submissions: The AVA Advocacy Team will prepare draft pre-budget submissions based on the identified priorities.
  • Committee feedback and finalisation: Draft pre-budget submissions will be circulated to AVA Division Committees for review, editing, and agreement before finalisation. Once endorsed, the submissions will be ready for lodgement with the relevant state or territory government.

How to Get Involved

We invite AVA Division Committees and AVA Members to contribute by identifying possible priorities for inclusion in your state or territory’s pre-budget submission. Please email suggestions to Liz Gemes by 26 October 2025 at liz.gemes@ava.com.au