News

Over 1,000 veterinary professionals gathered at ICC Sydney last week for the highly anticipated 2025 AVA Conference. After months of meticulous planning and coordination, encompassing hundreds of speakers, volunteers, and countless logistics, the week culminated in a vibrant celebration of veterinary science, innovation, and community.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is pleased to announce the election of Dr Gemma Chuck as President and Dr Diana Barker as Vice President of the AVA Board. The announcement was made during the AVA’s annual Gala Dinner at the 2025 AVA Conference in Sydney on Thursday night.

The 2025 AVA Conference wraps up today after a vibrant week at the ICC Sydney, attracting hundreds of veterinary professionals from Australia and abroad.

In this edition of SIG in the Spotlight, we shine a light on the Australian Veterinarians for Animal Welfare & Ethics (AVAWE). Dr Suffien Suharju, who is now entering his second year as the SIG’s President, brings over a decade of experience in animal health and welfare, hospital management, and contributions to a range of community programs and animal welfare initiatives. The AVAWE has fostered a welcoming and inclusive environment, valuing all member’s ideas and perspectives.

The Queensland Small Business Commissioner (QSBC) is calling for examples of unnecessary red tape impacting small and family businesses—and this is a valuable opportunity for Queensland veterinarians to be heard.

The AVA Conference offers flexible registration options-including multi-day, single-day, social events, and hands-on workshops-so you can tailor your experience to your needs. A single or multi-day pass unlocks access to 12 months of video proceedings for all available sessions, that’s more than 100 hours of CPD.

The roundtable marked the formal start of conversations about the first two chapters of AAWS: Livestock and Production Animals, and Aquatic Animals.

The Australian Veterinary Association congratulates the re-elected Albanese Government and reaffirms its commitment to working in partnership on key national priorities

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 19 May 2025.

The AVA is seeking Expressions of interest to represent the association on the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) Veterinary Schools Accreditation Advisory Committee (VSAAC).

The Australian consultation on draft standards from the WOAH Terrestrial Code is now open. The consultation process will be conducted via the Have Your Say website for WOAH standards, which will contain all relevant documents and a submission survey.