AVASouth Australia

and Northern Territory

Divisions

South Australia

• Aboriginal settlement of the area now known as South Australia dates back 65,000 years.

• The AVA office is located on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people.

• The first recorded European sighting of the South Australian coast was in 1627 when the Dutch ship 't Gulden Zeepaerdt (The Golden Seahorse), skippered by François Thijssen, examined the coastline. Thijssen named his discovery "Pieter Nuyts Land“.

• After that came both Flinders and Baudin, who mapped the coastline.

• In 1836 South Australia was proclaimed as a free colony.

Division Office Staff

What do we do in the Division Office…

Member Engagement

Increasing engagement

Non-members Members

Member Engagement

Elements of the membership plan aimed at increasing engagement of members through traditional avenues and the creation of ad hoc volunteering opportunities.

These included:•Mentoring•Assistance with specific advocacy activities•Assistance with specific projects (ie development of RMP template)•Assistance with individual events•Facebook•Social events (particularly encouraging practice based engagement)

Events

NT Conference

• 70 Delegates• 22 Trade exhibits• Two main topics• Vet stream and Nurse stream

SA Conference

• 110 Delegates• 22 Trade exhibits• One main topic• Vet stream and Nurse stream

Other CPD Events• Generally evening presentations

on specific topics, including topics like:– Fundus Fundamentals - How to

‘Read’ a Retina– Feeling Stressed about Feline Blood

Pressure?– Anaemia– The Red Eye for Vets– Pocket Pets

Hindmarsh Branch

• Retired, Education, and Government vets

• 4-6 functions per year• Evening presentations or field

trips– Visit to a fish farm– Weather bureau boat tour– Visit a dolphin colony – Venom Farm in the Barossa

Advocacy

Stakeholder Relations

• Chief Veterinary Officers• Vet Boards• Registrars• State Government - Ministers,

Shadow Ministers, Cross-benchers• Local government• RSPCA, AWL, LGA, DCMB, AWAC,

PITAC...

Advocacy Issues

• NT Veterinarians Regulations

• BJD• Animal Welfare• Access to euthanasia

drugs• Poisons• Review of NT

Veterinarian Act• Permits for non-vet use

of euthanasia drugs• Pig hunting using dogs• Livestock Bill

• Radiation Protection and Control Act Review

• Livestock Regulations Review– Laproscopic AI– Vaccines

• Urban Cat Management• Companion Animal

Shelter Summit • Veterinary use of CT and

fluoroscopy apparatus• Licensing of veterinary

premises

Veterinary Practice (Misc) Amendment Bill 2013• Introduced to State

Parliament on 26/09/2013

• Government listed it as a priority for the Spring session of Parliament.

• The Bill has now been passed and should commence as soon as subordinate legislation is prepared.

Complications with the Bill

The Bill has been largely modelled on the NSW approach. There are a couple of other amendments included, however the Minister’s Office has emphasised that this is not a time for wider review of the Act. Its primary purpose is to implement the Government’s policy decision in support of national recognition. The other amendments included are:1.Expansion of the Board to include a nominee from the University of Adelaide;2.The change in wording in the functions of the Board from ‘approve’ to ‘recognise’ courses, and the subsequent removal of Ministerial review of those decisions; and3.The inclusion of a mechanism, in certain circumstances, to suspend the registration of a veterinarian pending investigation.The Division has discussed this with the Minister’s Office and met with the acting CVO. Through these discussions we secured stronger safeguards around the suspension provisions.

Select Committee into the breeding and sale of dogs and cats• Detailed

submission• AVA gave

evidence at the public hearing

Dangerous dogs – a sensible solution

1. Early identification and management of potentially dangerous dogs

2. Identification and registration

3. A national reporting system

4. Temperament testing5. Comprehensive

education programs

Member Services

Recent Graduates

University of Adelaide

Radiation Management Plans (RMP)

• New EPA rules requiring practices to submit Radiation Management Plans

• AVA engaged with key Practices in the development of the plan

• Developed a template RMP for use by AVA Members

Over 40 practices requested and were given

a copy of the template Radiation Management

Plan

Adhoc volunteer

opportunity for practice principals

Resource for members

Two-fold benefit

Communications

Governance

• Two Committees