Veterinary Services Act 2023

The functions of the Board include—

to determine applications for registration for the purposes of this Act; and

to recognise courses of education or training that provide qualifications for registration on the general register or the specialist register; and

to determine the requirements necessary for registration on the general register or the specialist register; and

to determine the specialties in which a person may be registered on the specialist register; and

to prepare or endorse codes of conduct, professional standards and guidelines for the purposes of this Act; and

to prepare or endorse standards relating to minimum requirements for registered premises; and

to receive and deal with complaints made about the conduct of veterinarians; and

to provide advice to the Minister as may be appropriate or requested by the Minister; and

to provide information and advice to veterinarians and the public about relevant legislation, codes of conduct, professional standards and other standards and guidelines prepared or endorsed by the Board; and

to confer and collaborate with other veterinary regulatory authorities to ensure effective national exchange of information and promote uniformity and consistency in the regulation of veterinarians within Australia; and

to carry out other functions assigned to the Board by or under this Act or by the Minister.

The Board must ensure that applications for registration under this Act are determined in a timely and efficient manner.

In recognising a course of education or training, the Board may act on the recommendation of the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council Incorporated relating to the course.

If the Board prepares or endorses a code of conduct, professional standard, veterinary premises standard or guidelines under subsection (1), or varies, substitutes or revokes such a code, standard or guidelines, the Board must—

consult on the proposed code, standard or guidelines, or variation, substitution or revocation (as the case requires), with veterinarians, a prescribed peak body representing the veterinary profession in the State or relevant stakeholders in accordance with a scheme determined by the Board and approved by the Minister (which, in the case of varying or revoking a code, standard or guidelines, may provide that no consultation is required); and

cause an up-to-date copy of the code, standard or guidelines to be published in the Gazette and on a website determined by the Board; and

advise veterinarians of the new or updated code, standard or guidelines within 30 days after it is prepared, endorsed, varied or substituted (as the case requires).

The Board must review and, if necessary, update a code of conduct, professional standard, veterinary premises standard or guidelines under subsection (1) at least once every 5 years.

Proof of compliance with subsections (4) and (5) is not necessary for the purposes of any proceedings that involve an alleged contravention of a code of conduct or professional standard.

The Board must provide to the Minister (in a manner and form specified by the Minister) such information, records or other documents relating to any aspect of the functions or operations of the Board as the Minister may from time to time require.

The Board must exercise its functions under this Act with the object of supporting animal health, safety and welfare and the public interest by achieving and maintaining high professional standards both of competence and conduct in the provision of veterinary services in this State.