South Australian Veterinary Services Regulations Development

The AVA is currently preparing a submission on the consultation by the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) regarding their draft Regulations for the Veterinary Services Act 2023. To assist in this, we are seeking feedback from AVA members by 5 May 2025.

How to provide feedback for the AVA submission:

• Please review the PIRSA information using the links below, and this discussion paper which provides details on the proposed regulations, and send your input to publicvetaffairs@ava.com.au for consideration.
• Due to a tight consultation timeframe from PIRSA, we ask that you provide your feedback by Monday 5 May.

About the South Australian Veterinary Services Act and Regulations

In December 2020, PIRSA began a review of the current Act to ensure that South Australia maintains a contemporary and flexible veterinary regulation and registration framework that continues to meet the objectives of protecting animal health, safety and welfare and the public interest (including users and providers of veterinary services).

Consultation was undertaken during 2020 and 2021, and following consideration of stakeholder feedback, a draft Bill was prepared. In 2022, consultation was undertaken on the draft Bill. The Veterinary Services Bill 2023 passed through Parliament and subsequently became the Veterinary Services Act 2023 (VS Act). The Veterinary Practice Act 2003 continues to remain in effect until the Veterinary Services Act 2023 commences.

Although the VS Act has passed Parliament, it is yet to commence. A crucial next step to bring the VS Act to commencement is the development of Regulations to expand on certain provisions of the Act. This discussion paper provides details on proposed regulations for stakeholder input. Feedback received during this process will form the development of the regulations to support the VS Act's operation. The process to transition from the VP Act to the VS Act is being jointly undertaken by PIRSA and the Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia (VSBSA). The VS Act will commence at an appropriate time following the development and making of the regulations. Until the VS Act commences, the VP Act will continue to be in effect.

Find out more:

• read the South Australian Veterinary Services Act 2023
• read the documentation released for the purposes of consultation in December 2022 – Draft Veterinary Services Bill 2022, Explanatory Guide and Draft Bill
• read the documentation released for the purposes of consultation in 2020 – Discussion Paper, Public Consultation Summary Report.
• refer to the Veterinary Practice Act 2003
• refer to the Veterinary Practice Regulations 2017

Helpful AVA resources:

AVA Policies:

Restricted acts of veterinary science

Licensing of veterinarians

Regulation of animal health service providers

The diagnosis and treatment of animals by non-veterinarians 

Veterinary nursing

Recommended key principles for veterinary practice acts in Australia

Previous related AVA Submissions:

SA Veterinary Services Bill 2022

Draft WA Veterinary Practice Amendment Regulations

Key questions supplied by PIRSA you may consider as part of your review/feedback:  

1. Is there any other conduct that should be considered within the scope of unprofessional conduct and that constitutes an offence that is not already covered by parts (a) to (d)?
2. Should extracorporeal shock wave therapy be included in the definition of ‘veterinary service’?
3. Are there any other services (acts, activities, procedures, treatments etc.) that should be prescribed by the regulations to be included in the definition of ‘veterinary service’?
4. Is there any other act or activity that should be prescribed by the regulations to be excluded from the definition of veterinary service? Please provide justification as to why including:

• the relationship or potential relationship to the veterinary service definition in the VS Act
• why the service does not need to be exclusively provided by a veterinarian.

In particular:

• are there any other procedures relating to reproduction (artificial breeding procedures or pregnancy diagnosis) that should be excluded?
• are there any other dental procedures that should be excluded?
• are there any pig husbandry procedures that should be excluded?

5. Are there any other circumstances in which the offence in Section 49(1) should be disapplied?
6. Are there any other capabilities that Board governance training should be required to cover?
7. Are there any further requirements that should be specified in relation to governance training?
8. Are there any other Board functions that must be exclusively carried out by the Board?
9. Are there any Executive Officer functions that should be carried out exclusively by the Executive Officer and not further delegated?
10. Are there any requirements relating to responsible persons in respect of registered premises is in the case of premises owned or occupied by an entity?
11. Are there any other circumstances in which the offence in Section 51 should be disapplied?
12. Are there any other complaints or conduct that are appropriate for the Board to consider?
13. Are there certain contraventions of the Act or regulations that are more appropriate to be dealt with by Board resolution than others?
14. Are there any complaints or conduct that are not suitable for the Board to consider or are more appropriate to be lodged with the Tribunal?
15. Are there any other procedures or matters that should be outlined in the regulations relating to the operation of Part 7 Division 3 of the Act?
16. Are there any other requirements that you think should be specified in the regulations in relation to admitting or denying allegations?

More information for the PIRSA consultation can be found on their website here. This includes how to make an individual submission, should you wish to, by the closing date of 14 May 2025.