Page 1758 - Week 05 - Thursday, 10 May 2018
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
jurisdictions’ legislations are structured, primarily around the regulatory functions of a governing board. Within each jurisdiction though, veterinary legislation provisions differ slightly in how the board registers and regulates practitioners and veterinary premises.
The ACT government has recognised that the veterinary profession is looking towards a more harmonious system across Australia. That is why the ACT government has modelled this bill on the New South Wales veterinary legislation. The New South Wales legislation is a similar legislative model to the ACT’s current veterinary legislation, including the function of a board, but is significantly more comprehensive and intelligible. Harmonising the ACT’s veterinary legislation with New South Wales will also help reduce barriers to movement of practitioners between the borders, improving the productivity of the profession in the ACT.
The Council of Australian Governments made a commitment requiring all jurisdictions to adopt national recognition of veterinary registration, which is known as NRVR. NRVR is a part of the movement to reduce barriers in legislation between states and territories across Australia. Under NRVR state and territory registration boards recognise the registration of veterinarians from other states and territories. To date Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales have adopted NRVR. Under this bill the ACT will join these jurisdictions by adopting NRVR provisions. These can increase productivity by removing registration burdens and costs for veterinary practitioners flying in and out of the ACT under deemed registration. It also enables the veterinary industry to access expertise when required without legislative burdens.
The adoption of the bill will result in minimal changes for the ACT veterinary profession but will provide substantially clearer and applicable legislation to regulate and register the profession. The language of the bill has also been updated to reflect contemporary terminology including the replacement of the term “veterinary surgeon” with “veterinary practitioner” and associated changes, such as the new board title of “Veterinary Practice Board” or “the board”. Under the bill the board has the regulatory role of investigating and imposing disciplinary measures where practitioners breach their standards of practice or where veterinary premises do not meet the veterinary premises standards as prescribed.
The bill provides significant efficiencies through a clearer regulatory framework for the investigation of complaints. The board is now empowered to impose disciplinary measures on a veterinary practitioner’s registration without first referring complaints to a complaints panel for review. Under the bill the board will now be able to investigate and appropriately discipline veterinary practitioners through complaints or through the board’s own initiative where there is concern to do so. Consistent with the New South Wales model, the bill removes the current cumbersome process of panel investigation of complaints and empowers the board to, at its discretion, create committees to review complaints and appoint investigators as appropriate. The board is made up of expertise paid to assess the performance of practitioners against the professional standards and code.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video