Victorian State Election 2022

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Veterinarians are an integral part of the fabric of our community. They care for the pets that are increasingly part of our families. They manage the health and welfare of our livestock that are crucial to our international trade and the safety and security of our food, and they work in our public health sector on managing disease risks to animals and people alike.

Victoria protects this by the high standards required of veterinary registration and professional conduct.

Resourcing essential Veterinary Services

The work of veterinary professionals impacts the daily lives of all Australians and their animals in a multitude of ways. The contribution veterinarians make to the community is highly valued, essential for the health of our pets and significantly contributes to the social license of animal industries to operate. The continued access for our wool, meat and dairy products to premium international markets, which secures much of Victoria’s rural and regional prosperity, is underpinned by the work of our veterinarians.

Veterinarians are highly skilled, highly regulated and trusted members of our community whose work provides public benefits well beyond what happens in the consult room, or the treatment of animals in the field.

Veterinarians provide many services in their daily work that generate primarily public benefits and are undertaken for the public good. Examples include the necessity of meeting animal welfare imperatives requiring treatment and management of un-owned sick and injured animals including wildlife and playing a vital role in surveillance for the early detection emergency animal diseases.

However, this is at risk.

There is an increasing market failure situation emerging in delivering public good outcomes. There has been little financial support for the significant amount of obligatory and ethically necessary work vets do for public good (not private) and this is having a serious consequence.

For the security of animal industries, it is crucial that the role of veterinarians in animal health and welfare and biosecurity is maintained. To do this, two things are needed:

  • Support from regulators and the community to ensure that veterinary expertise and advice is integral to every level of decision making around biosecurity and the health and welfare of animals.
  • Increased investment into ‘public good’ services to ensure that these vital services can be sustainably provided in the veterinary profession.

This is key to the future sustainability of the veterinary services sector and the value it provides to our community.

Ahead of this Victorian State Election, the AVA is calling on the next State Government to support three key areas:

  • Mental Health
  • Animal care and protection legislation
  • Sustainability of essential veterinary services for public good

Read the full election platform here.