Veterinary Services Act 2023

A person must not give, or offer to give, a veterinarian or a prescribed relative of a veterinarian a benefit as an inducement, consideration or reward for the veterinarian—

recommending that a prescribed veterinary service provided by the person be used in relation to an animal being treated by the veterinarian; or

prescribing a veterinary product manufactured, sold or supplied by the person, or recommending that such a product be used, in relation to an animal being treated by the veterinarian. Maximum penalty: Maximum penalty: $20 000.

A veterinarian or a prescribed relative of a veterinarian must not accept from any person a benefit offered or given as an inducement, consideration or reward for the veterinarian—

recommending that a prescribed veterinary service provided by the person be used in relation to an animal being treated by the veterinarian; or

prescribing a veterinary product manufactured, sold or supplied by the person, or recommending that such a product be used, in relation to an animal being treated by the veterinarian. Maximum penalty: Maximum penalty: $20 000.

In this section—

benefit means money or any other consideration;

domestic partner means a person who is a domestic partner within the meaning of the Family Relationships Act 1975, whether declared as such under that Act or not;

prescribed relative, in relation to a veterinarian, means a parent, spouse, domestic partner, child, grandchild, brother or sister of the veterinarian;

prescribed veterinary service means—

veterinary treatment, veterinary pathology or veterinary pharmaceutical services; or

any other service prescribed by the regulations to be a prescribed veterinary service for the purposes of this section;

spouse—a person is the spouse of another if they are legally married;

veterinary product means—

a veterinary pharmaceutical product; or

any other product prescribed by the regulations to be a veterinary product for the purposes of this section.