Public consultation is now open on the draft Veterinary Services Bill, which is designed to
reflect modern veterinary systems.

The draft bill aims to ensure veterinary practice regulation in South Australia is updated to
align with contemporary practices, and meets the standards expected by users and
providers of veterinary services.

Important changes proposed in the draft Bill include:
• Increasing the flexibility of registration of veterinarians, to encourage vets back into
the workforce after time away
• Modernising Board structure
• Supporting effective Board functioning through expanded functions regarding
communication and transparency
• Registration of veterinary premises
• Removing unnecessary offence provisions and administrative burden

Key functions of the current Veterinary Practice Act 2003, to register and regulate
veterinarians and veterinary services will be maintained.
To learn more and provide your feedback, go to www.yoursay.gov.au/veterinaryservicesact.
Consultation closes on 19 February 2023.

The draft Veterinary Services Bill continues the Government of South Australia’s legislative
reform agenda, with the Livestock (Emergency Animal Disease) Amendment Bill 2022
having passed through Parliament on 2 December 2022.
Those changes provide additional measures to ensure South Australia has the necessary
powers to deliver a swift and agile response to a future emergency animal disease incursion,
such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease, African Swine Fever or other
diseases.

More information is available at www.pir.sa.gov.au/legislation_reform
Quotes attributable to Clare Scriven:
South Australia faces a severe shortage of veterinarians, so it is important that we do
everything we can to attract vets to the state and encourage qualified vets back into the
workforce after breaks, such as for parental leave or overseas experiences.
Media contact: Roshni Harding 0403 826 991 premier.sa.gov.au
Veterinary practices have also changed over time and our legislation needs to be fit for
purpose. The draft Veterinary Services Bill offers a more flexible framework to protect animal
health, safety, and welfare as well as the public interest, including users of veterinary
services.
It will help ensure veterinary practice regulation aligns with the reality of the profession
today, and the standards expected by people using and providing veterinary services.
If you have any interest in veterinary services in South Australia, I encourage you to learn
about the draft Bill and what it proposes, then have your say. Your feedback will inform the
final Bill.
This is the next step in the Government of South Australia’s legislative reform agenda to
ensure South Australia’s primary industries is best placed to take advantage of future
opportunities