The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) welcomes the National Party's Federal Election Agriculture Policy, which identifies the urgent need to boost Australia's veterinary workforce.
The Nationals' plan highlights the critical role of veterinarians in responding to exotic disease incursions and protecting Australia's biosecurity, and states that boosting the veterinarian workforce across Australia is a high priority. This aligns with the AVA's long-standing advocacy for national action to address the ongoing shortage of veterinary professionals - which is particularly severe in Australia's rural and regional areas.
"Our veterinary workforce is stretched far beyond capacity. Without immediate and coordinated investment, we risk failing to protect animal welfare, agricultural productivity, and national biosecurity," said AVA President Dr Sally Colgan.
Data from the AVA's 2023/24 Workforce Survey revealed that nationally, almost 37% of veterinary recruitment vacancies took 12 months or longer to fill. This is particularly pronounced in regional areas, where 44% of positions remained vacant for extended periods, highlighting the challenges in attracting and retaining veterinarians in these communities.
The AVA has consistently called for a coordinated national veterinary workforce strategy - regardless of which party is in government. This includes a HECS-HELP Rural Bonding Scheme for veterinary graduates, inclusion of veterinary students in the Commonwealth Prac Payment Scheme, and investment in workforce retention and wellbeing.
"The AVA has been calling for a coordinated national workforce strategy for years," Dr Colgan said. "What we need now is commitment and funding from all parties to turn this recognition into meaningful action. The health of our animals, the security of our food systems, and the wellbeing of our vets all depend on it."
To date, the Nationals are the only major party to specifically address the veterinary workforce in their election platform. The AVA encourages all parties to recognise the essential role of veterinarians in their federal election campaigns and outline how they will address this critical workforce shortage as part of their broader commitments to agriculture and biosecurity.
