Veterinary Services Bill – A new legislative framework for South Australia

Have your say on a new Veterinary Services Bill for South Australia.

What's being decided?

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) is developing a new Veterinary Services Bill for South Australia which seeks to ensure veterinary practice regulation in the state aligns with:

• the contemporary nature of the profession; and
• the standards expected by users and providers of veterinary services.

The Bill will seek to maintain important functions from the current Act, the Veterinary Practice Act 2003, to register and regulate veterinarians and veterinary services. Other important changes include:

• modernising Board structure
• supporting effective Board functioning through expanded functions including but not limited to communication and transparency
• enabling increased flexibility of registration and the registration of veterinary premises
• removing unnecessary offence provisions and administrative burden.

Background

Veterinarians play a key role in animal, human and community wellbeing by maintaining the health and wellbeing of our pets and our livestock.

In 2020, PIRSA began a review of the current Act to ensure that South Australia maintains a contemporary and flexible veterinary regulation and registration framework that continues to meet the objectives of protecting animal health, safety and welfare, and the public interest (including users and providers of veterinary services).

Consultation was undertaken during 2020 and 2021, and following consideration of stakeholder feedback, a draft Bill has been prepared.

The draft Bill recognises the changes in veterinary practice and animal care generally since the current legislation, the Veterinary Practice Act 2003 came into effect. It also reflects the changed role of the Board, following the transfer of disciplinary proceedings to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in 2020.

Get involved

Find out more:

• read the draft Veterinary Service Bill
• read the Veterinary Services Bill – Explanatory guide
• read the background information released in 2020 – Discussion Paper, and Public Consultation Summary Report

Have your say by:

• completing the survey,
• emailing a submission to PIRSA.VeterinaryServicesBill@sa.gov.au, or
• posting your written submission to:

Legislative Reform Team

Department of Primary Industries and Regions

Level 16, 25 Grenfell Street

GPO Box 1671, ADELAIDE SA 5001

To ask a question, please send it to the email address or mailing address above.

Please note:

Your email address may be stored to enable us provide updates on how the draft Bill progresses.

Please include “Veterinary Services Draft Bill/Stakeholder Category” as the title of your submission, e.g. “Veterinary Services Draft Bill/Animal Welfare Organisation”.

Your submission may be made publicly available online unless you request anonymity at the time of submission. Alternatively, PIRSA may publish submissions by stakeholder category, without your identity, if preferred and advised at the time of submission.

Anonymous submissions may still be subject to access under Freedom of Information laws.

What are the next steps?

The Bill passed through Parliament on 30 November 2023

The Veterinary Practice Act 2003 will continue to be in effect until the Veterinary Services Act 2023 commences.