The Minister for Agriculture has an appointee As part of their training and ongoing on the Board from the CVO Unit who acts as a professional development, veterinary conduit between the Board, the CVO and practitioners must be familiar with the ultimately the minister. There are nine symptoms associated with exotic diseases. members on the Board: six veterinary They must report all suspected EADs to practitioners, one lawyer and two other non- Agriculture Victoria immediately. veterinarians. Agriculture Victoria encourages veterinary When the Board receives complaints about practitioners to use the Significant Disease registered veterinary practitioners from the public, Investigation Program to investigate and staff ensure they are in the appropriate written document any unusual disease event format for further investigation. The Board reviews involving livestock. As part of this program, each complaint. Any that are deemed to be lacking financial assistance is available to help in substance, vexatious or outside the jurisdiction practitioners thoroughly investigate the event of the Board are not investigated. (see Section 3.4.1). During the financial year ending 30 June 2016, 283 Veterinary Practitioners complaints were submitted to the Board. Registration Board of Victoria Livestock industries The Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria (the The livestock industries, from peak Veterinary Board) is a statutory body bodies to individual service providers, are established under the Veterinary an essential part of Victoria’s animal health Practice Act 1997. The main purpose of system. Industry peak bodies provide input the Act is to protect the public by into the strategies and policies developed providing for the registration of through formal channels such as livestock veterinary practitioners, and to investigate consultative committees (Appendix A). In the professional conduct and the fitness to implementing these policies, Agriculture practise of registered veterinary practitioners. Victoria animal health staff regularly visit As at 30 June 2016, there were 3068 individual producers, stock agents, saleyard veterinary practitioners registered in Victoria, managers, livestock transporters and other with 3.3% of these employed as government service providers to educate, monitor, provide officers. and gain feedback, and enforce activities in line with agreed standards.
As part of their training and ongoing professional development, veterinary practitioners must be familiar with the symptoms associated with exotic diseases. They must report all suspected EADs to Agriculture Victoria immediately. Agriculture Victoria encourages veterinary practitioners to use the Significant Disease Investigation Program to investigate and document any unusual disease event involving livestock. As part of this program, financial assistance is available to help practitioners thoroughly investigate the event (see Section 3.4.1). Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria The Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria (the Veterinary Board) is a statutory body established under the Veterinary Practice Act 1997. The main purpose of the Act is to protect the public by providing for the registration of veterinary practitioners, and to investigate the professional conduct and the fitness to practise of registered veterinary practitioners. As at 30 June 2016, there were 3068 veterinary practitioners registered in Victoria, with 3.3% of these employed as government officers. The Minister for Agriculture has an appointee on the Board from the CVO Unit who acts as a conduit between the Board, the CVO and ultimately the minister. There are nine members on the Board: six veterinary practitioners, one lawyer and two other non- veterinarians. When the Board receives complaints about registered veterinary practitioners from the public, staff ensure they are in the appropriate written format for further investigation. The Board reviews each complaint. Any that are deemed to be lacking in substance, vexatious or outside the jurisdiction of the Board are not investigated. During the financial year ending 30 June 2016, 283 complaints were submitted to the Board. Livestock industries The livestock industries, from peak bodies to individual service providers, are an essential part of Victoria’s animal health system. Industry peak bodies provide input into the strategies and policies developed through formal channels such as livestock consultative committees (Appendix A). In implementing these policies, Agriculture Victoria animal health staff regularly visit individual producers, stock agents, saleyard managers, livestock transporters and other service providers to educate, monitor, provide and gain feedback, and enforce activities in line with agreed standards.
Animal-Health-in-Victoria-2016_Text-only.docx