ACT Vets Must Have Insurance and Board Gains Power to Register Vets and Punish Misconduct

Veterinary Practice Amendment Bill 2025

2 Jul 2025: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

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Topics

animal welfare consumer protection professional indemnity insurance professional licensing professional standards veterinary board veterinary practice veterinary registration

Introduced by: The Hon Tara Cheyne MLA (ALP) — Attorney-General, Minister , Minister for City and Government Services, Minister for Human Rights, Minister for the Night-Time Economy

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Registered veterinary practitioners must hold a third-party indemnity insurance policy; this excludes government employees and non-practising practitioners.
The Veterinary Board can now suspend or cancel a registration if a practitioner contravenes this Act or other relevant laws.
The Veterinary Board's functions now include registering premises; setting premises standards; and conducting its own investigations into practitioners.
The Business Minister can declare an entity to be a professional body; this declaration is a disallowable instrument.
Practitioners with deemed registration from other jurisdictions are no longer excluded from annual general meeting provisions.
Regulations can now be made specifically to protect animal welfare.
One specific ground for removing a veterinary practitioner from the register is removed.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Tara Cheyne ALP

“I move: That this bill be agreed to in principle. I am pleased to introduce this bill to the Assembly today. We understand the important companionship and valuable contribution that animals can provide to our community and to our families. At large, Australian homes have a high level of pet ownership and many people choose to live their lives with the comfort and support of an animal.”

Official source →

Leanne Castley IND

“I arise today to speak on theVeterinary Practice Amendment Bill onbehalf ofourcolleaguetheshadowminister for city services who, unfortunately, remains unable to attend the Assembly, and I certainly wish him a speedy recovery. I note the bill today is not a significant one and PROOF P2037 Legislative Assembly for the ACT 26 June 2025 has not been subject to an inquiry.”

Official source →

Jo Clay GRN

“The Greens are happy to support this bill today. We did look at this one with care. I thank the minister’s office for providing us with a briefing and some additional information about this issue. We are quite comfortable with passing these changes. I have had a number of concerns about Canberrans’ access to vet care and to equine care raised with me in Canberra at the moment.”

Official source →

Caitlin Tough ALP

“I am very pleased to stand here today in support of Minister Cheyne and the Veterinary Practice Amendment Bill 2025. As the minister already mentioned in her speech the other day, this bill helps deliver on the recommendations for legislative amendments which resulted from last year’s statutory review of the Veterinary Practice Act 2018.”

Official source →