Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 (ACT)

Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025

A2025-20

Contents

Page

Part 1      Preliminary

1            Name of Act  2

2            Commencement  2

3            Legislation amended  2

4            Legislation repealed  2

Part 2Veterinary Practice Act 2018

5            Objects of ActSection 6 (e) and (f)  3

6            Qualification for general or non-practising registrationSection 28, note  3

7           Removal of veterinary practitioner from registerSection 32 (2) (c)  3

8            Considerations before making occupational discipline orders—suspension or cancellation of registrationSection 66 (2) (a)  3

9            Interaction with commissionSection 70 (4) (f)  4

10          Board—functionsSection 91 (1)  4

11          Annual general meeting of veterinary professionSection 92 (2)  5

12          Consultation about appointment to boardNew section 96 (4) and (5)  5

13          Declared professional bodiesSection 143  6

14          Regulation-making powerSection 147 (1), note  6

15          Section 147 (2)  6

16          Section 147 (3)  6

17          Dictionary, definition of declared professional body  6

Part 3Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018

18          Part 3 heading  7

19          New section 8A  7

20          Notice of annual general meetingSection 10 (1)  8

21          Dictionary, note 3  8

22          Dictionary, definitions of corresponding law, letter of professional standing and relevant authority  8

Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025

A2025-20

An Act to amend the Veterinary Practice Act 2018 and the Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018, and for other purposes

The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:

Part 1Preliminary

1. Name of Act

   This Act is the Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025.

2. Commencement

   (1)This Act (other than the provisions mentioned in subsection (2)) commences on the 14th day after its notification day.

   NoteThe naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on the notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).

   (2)The following provisions commence on 1 May 2026:

   ·     sections 18 and 19

   ·     sections 21 and 22.

3. Legislation amended

   This Act amends the Veterinary Practice Act 2018 and the Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018.

4. Legislation repealed

   The Veterinary Practice (Professional Bodies) Declaration 2018 (DI2018-298) is repealed.

Part 2Veterinary Practice Act 2018

1. Objects of Act
   Section 6 (e) and (f)

   substitute

   (e)consumers of veterinary services—

   (i)are well informed about the competencies required of veterinary practitioners; and

   (ii)have confidence in accessing veterinary services from veterinary practitioners;

   (f)the protection of the health and welfare of people.

2. Qualification for general or non-practising registration
   Section 28, note

   omit

3. Removal of veterinary practitioner from register
   Section 32 (2) (c)

   omit

4. Considerations before making occupational discipline orders—suspension or cancellation of registration
   Section 66 (2) (a)

   after

   has contravened

   insert

   this Act or

5. Interaction with commission
   Section 70 (4) (f)

   omit

   report

   substitute

   complaint

6. Board—functions
   Section 91 (1)

   substitute

   (1)The board has the following functions:

   (a)registering veterinary practitioners and veterinary premises;

   (b)ensuring the professional development of veterinary practitioners, including by determining requirements for continuing professional development of veterinary practitioners;

   (c)approving educational and training courses related to professional qualifications for veterinary practitioners;

   (d)developing codes of professional conduct for veterinary practitioners;

   (e)setting standards for premises;

   (f)cooperating with other jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand to further a common and harmonious approach to the administration of legislation relating to veterinary practitioners;

   (g)giving general advice to consumers of veterinary services in relation to the ethics and standards of professional competence generally expected of veterinary practitioners;

   (h)giving advice to the Minister in relation to any other matter related to the administration of this Act;

   (i)liaising with, and if the board considers it appropriate, becoming a member of, professional organisations concerned with veterinary science;

   (j)investigating complaints against veterinary practitioners;

   (k)conducting, on the board’s own initiative, investigations of veterinary practitioners;

   (l)giving information to the veterinary profession relating to continuing education issues, developments in the field of veterinary science and disciplinary matters;

   (m)taking disciplinary action against veterinary practitioners;

   (n)enforcing this Act, including taking proceedings for offences against this Act.

7. Annual general meeting of veterinary profession
   Section 92 (2)

   omit

   , other than a veterinary practitioner who has deemed registration under part 4 (Recognition of veterinary practitioners from other jurisdictions),

8. Consultation about appointment to board
   New section 96 (4) and (5)

   insert

   (4)The Minister may declare an entity to be a professional body for subsection (2).

   (5)A declaration is a disallowable instrument.

9. Declared professional bodies
   Section 143

   omit

10. Regulation-making power
    Section 147 (1), note

    omit

11. Section 147 (2)

    omit

12. Section 147 (3)

after

to protect

insert

animal welfare,

1. Dictionary, definition of declared professional body

   omit

Part 3Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018

1. Part 3 heading

   substitute

Part 3Registration information and requirements

1. New section 8A

   in part 3, insert

8ARequired insurance—Act, s 147 (4) (c)

(1)A registered veterinary practitioner, other than a non-practising veterinary practitioner, must hold a third-party indemnity insurance policy with cover that is suitable for all aspects of the practitioner’s veterinary practice.

(2)However, subsection (1) does not apply to a registered veterinary practitioner practising veterinary science in their capacity as a government employee.

(3)In this section:

government employee means an officer or employee of a State, the Territory or the Commonwealth.

NoteState includes the Northern Territory (see Legislation Act, dict, pt 1).

1. Notice of annual general meeting
   Section 10 (1)

   omit

   , other than a veterinary practitioner who has deemed registration under the Act, part 4 (Recognition of veterinary practitioners from other jurisdictions),

2. Dictionary, note 3

   insert

   ·     non-practising veterinary practitioner

   ·     veterinary practice

3. Dictionary, definitions of corresponding law, letter of professional standing and relevant authority

   omit

   part 3 (Registration information)

   substitute

   part 3 (Registration information and requirements)

Endnotes

1. Presentation speech

   Presentation speech made in the Legislative Assembly on 18 March 2025.

2. Notification

   Notified under the Legislation Act on 2 July 2025.

3. Republications of amended laws

   For the latest republication of amended laws, see certify that the above is a true copy of the Veterinary Practice Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly on 26 June 2025.

   Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

   © Australian Capital Territory 2025