John Cobb (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion for this parliament to join the rest of the world in recognising the important contribution and achievements of veterinarians for the community by designating 2011 the World Veterinary Year. By passing this motion in the House today and in the Senate on Wednesday we will join parliaments around the world in celebrating the establishment of the first modern veterinary school in Lyon, France, in 1761—250 years ago.

In Australia we are proud to be celebrating the 120th anniversary of the first graduating class of veterinarians at the Melbourne Veterinary College. This was no small achievement for a country that was not discovered by the British until 1770 and did not see the arrival of the first convicts into Sydney until eight years after that.

Most Australians would be familiar with visits to the vet for family pets, big or small. They would be less familiar with the contribution by veterinarians to animal health and production, public health, animal welfare, food safety and biosecurity. It is these diverse and varied roles that they play in our community that I would like to pay tribute to today.

Australia’s economy has often been described in the past as riding on the sheep’s back. While we may not be solely dependent on sheep today, we remain an agricultural nation with an enviable reputation for being free from exotic disease, and much of this has been due to the pioneering work of our veterinarians. Since the early days they have played a leading role in the eradication of animal diseases, beginning with sheep scab , which arrived on the First Fleet. This mite damaged the fleece by causing the sheep intense irritation by producing moist yellow scabs. For the 19th century it devastated sheep farms and the wider public dependent on the income from wool production. It was estimated in 1865 that the annual financial loss to the colony was over half a million pounds, equivalent to $75 million today. In 1896 the eradication of the mite through the development of mass treatment of flocks was a significant turning point in Australian responses to disease. More significantly, however, it had marked the enactment of the first piece of legislation in New South Wales, in 1832, that gave officers the power to control animal disease. With officers able to detain, seize and destroy infected sheep, the disease was swiftly eradicated in 1896 and has never recurred.

This was the very beginning of Australia’s quarantine inspection service, which evolved into its current form with the drawing together of the human, animal and plant quarantine functions in the department of health in 1926, following the outbreak of rinderpest, or cattle plague, which has also been eradicated. These have not been its only successes. It succeeded in excluding: foot and mouth disease in 1801 and 1804 in New South Wales, in 1871 and 1872 in Victoria, and has not occurred here since; contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, introduced in 1858, with the last case in 1967 and freedom declared in 1973—one of the first countries to achieve this; bovine tuberculosis and tuberculosis in the 1990s; newcastle disease of poultry in 1930, 1932 and again in the 1990s; classical swine fever, 1903, 1927-28, 1912-13; and equine influenza in 2007.

With regard to health, it is reported in the UK and the US that over 50 per cent of human infectious diseases originate in animals and about three-quarters of emerging diseases are transferable from animal to man. Given such a high risk to human health, the contributions of the vets to science and research are obviously enormously important. Deadly zoonotic diseases continued to threaten in Australia and overseas. Hendra virus here, BSE in the UK, SARS in China, nipah in Malaysia and swine flu in Mexico have proved fatal to humans. We face threats from our regional neighbours with rabies in Bali and swine fever in Indonesia. Other diseases, such as Rift Valley fever and West Nile virus have spread across the Middle East and the USA respectively, with serious effects on human and animal populations.

Ensuring that we maintain the integrity of our biosecurity is important through promoting the importance of ‘One Health’. We must encourage more cooperation between human and animal health on the front line fighting disease by funding the work of veterinary scientists within agencies including Animal Health Australia, CSIRO and private agribusiness. This is in addition to building on the advancements through international partnerships fostered and delivered by the now defunded Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre. We only have to look to the deaths of the two vets who died tending to horses infected with the Hendra virus from bats to recognise that veterinarians face real risks from the increasing prevalence of animal-to-human transmitted diseases.

Maintaining our unenviable international reputation as free from exotic disease is not without benefit to our economic wellbeing as we trade to overseas markets. We depend upon veterinary officers to monitor our borders and livestock for disease such as foot and mouth disease. Surveillance is critical if we are to ensure we take all possible measures to keep out diseases and pests that could harm our valuable agriculture and horticulture industries.

Veterinarians also play an important role in supporting the racing industry. You only have to imagine the impact of a Melbourne Cup day or spring racing carnival with well cared for and healthy horses that are tended by these professionals. Veterinarians as practitioners handle all species of farm animals, wildlife, aquatic animals, laboratory animals and companion animals in work, sport and recreation. It is the bond with animals that makes it natural that they would be out champions for animal welfare. Through the work of veterinarians I am proud to say that Australia leads the world with the development of the Australian Animal welfare strategy and implementation plans to protect animals. This strategy that has been taken up around the world and adopted by the OIE.

This motion gives us the opportunity not only to recognise the breadth of the contribution of vets to our community but to pay tribute to the achievement of individual vets, both past and living. Three have been acknowledged in this motion: Nobel Peace Prize winner and Australian of the Year Dr Peter Doherty, whose research has helped in our understanding of how human bodies fight disease and of the disease meningitis; Professor Mary Barton, a leading veterinarian bacteriologist who has made an extraordinary contribution to veterinary public health; and Dr Reg Pascoe, for his lifetime contribution to promoting veterinary science and excellence. But there are so many more, and we pay tribute to these women and men for all they have done to advance our nation and for their service to the community.

It is a great achievement for Australia to be celebrating its 120th anniversary of veterinary education on the 250th anniversary of the first veterinary school in the world. We have come so far. This motion, I hope, will open the eyes of our young people to understand the aspirations of those who came before and the opportunities for veterinary professionals in the future. It is a great honour for me to present this motion to recognise the important role that veterinary science has played in our history and the vital role of veterinarians in a prosperous and sustainable future. I ask that the House support this motion.

Deborah O'Neill (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Calare for bringing this private members’ business forward today. The work of our veterinarians in our country is really quite pervasive, from the care of our pampered pooches to the vital work on the front lines of maintaining Australia’s biosecurity at our export meatworks. As the member for Calare has noted, the world’s first veterinary school was founded in the French city of Lyon in 1761. This means that 2011 is the 250th world anniversary of veterinary education and in itself the official creation of the veterinary profession. I note that international observations have already begun at Versailles and will continue throughout the year. Already, according to the Vet2011.org website, there are almost 280 events planned across the globe and, dare I say, I expect there will be many more veterinary celebrations held throughout the year on this side of the world. This includes three particularly important events in Australia, one of which is the Australian Veterinary Association’s annual conference, which is to be held in Adelaide from 15 May.

Friends who know me well would not think of me as a person who is particularly engaged with animals. In fact, I have to confess to having just bought our first puppy quite recently. However, the veterinary profession is one that I know absolutely fascinated many of the students I have taught over the years. And I can attest to the great skill development that those students have had in the care of local veterinary surgeons in the seat of Robertson. I want to speak in the first instance about the small animal care that is so much a part of the seaboard area of Robertson.

The James Herriot book is, I suppose, the closest I have been to the real workings of the inside of a veterinary surgeon’s practice. The Herriot book, which was actually the work of Alf Wight, an English veterinarian, was the story of a life of constant variation, a life where a man was totally integrated in his local community and was so vital to the social and economic wellbeing of that community. Trying to choose texts to engage young men in reading is not always the easiest thing to do, but when you put a veterinary surgeon’s experiences recorded in print into the hands of boys aged 13 or 14, which was my experience, you can see part of them come to life. They want to understand how somebody can have a job where they actually get to do something that seems so much fun every single day of the week. I do not know how much fun I would find it, personally, but I have to say I have found the work they do is a great comfort. We have had our young dog, Einstein—at the request of my son Noah, 14—for only a matter of months now, but we have had the need to visit our local veterinary surgeon on two or three occasions. Thankfully, Einstein is in good shape, but the comfort that is offered when you go to the vet by somebody who obviously cares very much about these animals is something that should not be underestimated. Also, in the times we have taken our little pup to the vet recently we have met people who are there with their dogs who express such a joy in having them as part of their lives. I do not think we can overlook the companionship dimension of domestic animals, particularly dogs and cats, that people seem to be very bonded with and the difference they can make in people’s lives.

The local veterinarians in our area have the capacity to engage young people who might otherwise be disconnected from their schooling. They can go to a place of work where they really desire to be a part of something and they are attracted to the work they do there through their contact with animals. Veterinary surgeons all across the country, and indeed around the world, would be responsible for great joy and great learning for many young people. They might not necessarily have followed the path to become a veterinary surgeon themselves but they have engaged in developing work habits, a joy in showing up at that work and also an understanding of the cleaning and other dimensions of working in a veterinary surgery. Those are important skills for young kids to develop. So that contribution to the benefit of the whole community through the provision of work opportunities and work experience needs to be put on the record as well.

The image of the vet who works with small animals is a very common one that is played out on our television screens frequently. But the work that veterinarians do in biosecurity is also particularly important. We have veterinarians who work in meat and milk processing plants, making sure that food is safe to eat. There are also vets who are doing great work in our laboratories not only to discover new treatments, procedures and medicines for animals but who also work at critical times when our biosecurity is under threat. I am very mindful of newcastle disease and the implications that had for the chicken farmers up in Mangrove Mountain in my seat of Robertson. I am also very mindful of the equine flu virus and the amazingly challenging impact that had on the whole of the horse industry at all levels. The work of vets in those areas cannot be underestimated. We can see very clearly from those incidents how important their work is, not just for the companionship side that we were talking about earlier but in terms of the national economy and our capacity to produce quality farm animals for consumption.

Then there are the ‘exotic’ veterinarians, the ones who get to work in the zoos and in some circuses. And perhaps the ones I most feel for are the ones who become teachers in the tertiary setting. To have the opportunity to hand on your knowledge to another generation is important work. So for those vets who have perhaps given up the joy of their own practice and their encounters with animals to move into the tertiary sector and to transfer their knowledge, we applaud your work too. My seat of Robertson has a large rural area where the work that vets do is with large animals. In the coastal section there are lots of families who have precious pets and who rely on the comfort and care offered by vets to keep their animals well and, when they are not so well, to get them back to full health. That is greatly appreciated in the community.

Finally, I would like to recognise the professionalism of veterinarians. One of the saddest things, which I have read about in the books I have used in working with my students and which I know has happened to friends who have had animals that are no longer well, is to have to go to a vet with a particularly unwell animal to have that animal put down. I know the professionalism and the comfort that is offered by vets in that role is a really significant social asset to our community. Vets look after people and their pets, and in that way they come right into our lives and into our homes. On this occasion, when we are celebrating the work they do, I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to applaud the veterinarians of Australia. I hope they enjoy their celebrations this year.

Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to this motion celebrating World Veterinary Year 2011, which marks the 250th anniversary of world veterinary education. I acknowledge the contributions of the members for Calare and Robertson, and I hope the member for Robertson has a long and enjoyable time with her new pet. I thank the member for Calare for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. I also acknowledge my Western Australian colleague Senator Chris Back, a respected veterinarian, who will be speaking on this motion in the other place later in the week. I see him sitting in the gallery, so I welcome him to this chamber.

The points raised by this motion are apt. The number of distinguished veterinarians we have in Australia is testament to the professionalism of the local industry. I mention a local vet in my electorate, Brendan McKay, who is a strong contributor to the social fabric of our community as well as being the veterinarian in the area. The member for Calare mentioned that 2011 marks the 120th anniversary of the first class of graduates from the Melbourne Veterinary College. The motion acknowledges the importance of vets working in the livestock industry; however, today I focus on my contribution on the role that vets play in ensuring the welfare of Australia’s domestic animals.

Australia is a country of animal lovers. It was recently reported that Australia has the highest rate of pet ownership in the world, with over 60 per cent of households having one or more pets. This compares to the UK, where 43 per cent of households have a pet. According to PetNet, 12 million Australians are associated with pets; 63 per cent of the 7.5 million households in Australia own pets; 91 per cent of pet owners report feeling ‘very close’ to their pet, reinforcing that pets are an integral member of the family unit; pets are a normal part of childhood for more than 83 per cent of Australians; and of the Australians who do not currently own a pet 53 per cent would like to do so in the future.

Western Australia is a strong contributor to these statistics: figures from 2007 estimate there to be over 3.1 million pets in WA. With research showing all sorts of health benefits accruing from pet ownership, this is not surprising. According to the Australian Companion Animal Council—the ACAC—compared to non pet owners people who own pets typically visit the doctor less often and use less medication, have lower cholesterol and blood pressure, recover more quickly from illness and surgery, deal better with stressful situations, show lower levels of risk factors associated with heart disease and are less likely to report feeling lonely, with elderly pet owners reporting increased quality of life and companionship.

There would of course be few Western Australian pet owners who have not taken their animal to see a vet. However, it is not only in keeping domestic pets healthy that vets play a vital role. They also play an important role in monitoring the animal breeding industry and in checking that animal welfare policies are being adhered to. A good example of this is the puppy industry. With dogs being the most popular pets in Australia, there is naturally a high demand for puppies and a significant dog-breeding industry right across Australia. It is important that vets monitor every aspect of the breeding process, and respectable breeders make sure this happens.

However, when I was down in the Canning wetlands recently, one of my constituents, Jo Stone, raised some concerns about the regulation of the dog-breeding industry in Australia, in particular regarding the operation of puppy farms across parts of the country. Jo had seen a documentary on TV featuring a well-known vet who had exposed evidence of puppy factories in Australia. The RSPCA defines puppy farms as:

… an intensive dog-breeding facility that is operated under inadequate conditions that fail to meet the dogs’ behavioural, social and/or psychological needs.

Jo raised concerns that vets and welfare inspectors were unable to access these puppy farms, where dogs were kept in squalid conditions. With the help of the Parliamentary Library, I have been conducting some research into this issue in Australia. I thank the library for the assistance it has provided. The research has highlighted some problems associated with the regulation of the puppy industry in Australia but has also shown that these areas can be addressed.

The RSPCA has raised concerns about the puppy-farming industry in Australia over the course of a number of years. The organisation is currently running a campaign to try and see the end of this practice in Australia. Part of the problem seems to be a lack of clear legislation guaranteeing animal welfare in this area. The first point to make is that, when it comes to legislation dealing with cruelty to animals and animal management containing provisions applicable to dog breeding, there is a great variation between different states and territories. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland have prescriptive requirements relating to accommodation, care and transport. I note that in late 2010 the Queensland government proposed a new dog standard that includes requirements for the proper registration of all dogs from breeding to point of sale and for licensing conditional upon compliance with a code of practice outlining enforceable minimum standards.

In other states, including my state of Western Australia, local government laws tend to take some precedence. In WA the Dog Act 1976 sets out laws relating to the control and registration of dogs. The act permits anyone to keep two dogs older than three months, and the young of those younger than three months. Animal welfare provisions are outlined in the Animal Welfare Act 2002, which provides for proper food, shelter and protection from harm. It is important to note that there are no specific codes of practice or standards such as apply in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

The RSPCA believe better regulation is needed across the board, as current voluntary registration and accreditation programs are not sufficient to ensure the identification and traceability of breeders. They suggest a system whereby all dogs are permanently traceable to the breeder and all subsequent owners and sellers through a nationally coordinated system. This means that a dog cannot be sold at a pet shop without a registration number that will allow welfare inspectors to inspect the conditions of the parents.

They have laid out four steps for this process. The first is developing a system which ensures that all dogs are registered and traceable to the person who bred the dog. This must include compulsory microchip identification of puppies by the breeder prior to the sale or transfer to be implemented in all jurisdictions. The second is that mechanisms for tracking breeder information should be explored, including utilising existing microchip registration systems to enable puppies to be traced to the breeder. The third is that the current Gold Coast breeder permit pilot project should be examined as a model for a potential national system. The fourth is that a national approach is required to ensure that puppies transferred across jurisdictions remain traceable. Such a system could be administered at the state or local government level.

The RSPCA also contend that there are insufficient standards nationwide to provide for the welfare and the health of breeding dogs and puppies and to ensure that puppies are appropriately reared to be suitable as companion animals. In short, they feel that they cannot act when they find a puppy farm. Most legislation requires the provision of shelter, food and water but does not include the need for exercise and veterinary access. In this way, the RSPCA recommend that standards be developed which are sufficient to provide for the welfare and health of breeding dogs and puppies to ensure that puppies are appropriately reared to be companion animals. They must adequately address the psychological, behavioural, social and physiological needs of both breeding dogs and puppies. Standards must cover all aspects of dog breeding that have an impact on animal welfare, including: staff competencies and training; staff-dog ratios; record-keeping; dog care and management; breeding and rearing; socialisation, health and veterinary care; transfer of ownership; and transport. Standards must be linked to existing animal welfare legislation. Standards should take into consideration the national standards and guidelines for dogs, which are currently in development through the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. Perhaps the federal government could be doing more to help harmonise legislation and create some national standards. Perhaps it should not be up to local councils and state governments and instead there should be clear regulations within Australia for the industry.

In conclusion, the good news is that my office has been in contact with RSPCA WA and there have been no incidences of puppy farms being uncovered in WA recently. However, I understand this is a significant issue over in the east and was a significant issue at the recent Victorian election. To minimise the chances of puppy farms being established in WA, a national scheme would be advisable, perhaps along the lines of that raised by the RSPCA. For constituents wanting to make sure they purchase their dog from a reputable place, the best advice is to ask to see the dog’s biological parents. If this is declined then it would be advisable to contact the RSPCA and ask it to investigate further. Animal welfare is important and should be at the forefront of our minds during World Veterinary Year. I would like to congratulate all those veterinarians who are celebrating the 250th anniversary of world veterinary education, and I wish them all the best for this year.

Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I congratulate the member for Calare for moving this motion. The veterinary profession contributes an enormous amount to animal health and production, public health, animal welfare, food safety and biosecurity. Indeed, as the motion says, there are seven schools of veterinary medicine established in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, WA and South Australia. Before the last redistribution I had the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland in Gatton located in my seat. That is a wonderful facility, and I will talk about it later.

I have spent a lot of time raising awareness of the devastation which has affected so many Queenslanders and those within the seat of Blair in particular. It is not just the people of Queensland who have suffered. I want to acknowledge the unsung heroes who acted on behalf of our native wildlife, livestock and, of course, family pets, particularly dogs and cats. I also want to thank Councillor Andrew Antonelli who is in charge and has responsibility in Ipswich City Council for the work he does; the local RSPCA; and the Ipswich pound for their great work and all the workers there. They really cared for the domestic animals of Ipswich during the time of the flood. I thank them for their skill and talent, the abilities they exercised and their concern not just for the people of Ipswich but for the animals of Ipswich.

The United Nations has declared 2011 World Veterinary Year to mark the work of vets around the world and here in Australia. This year recognises the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the world’s first veterinary school in Lyon in France in 1761. The slogan adopted by the UN for the year of celebration is ‘Vet for health. Vet for food. Vet for the planet’. This motto illustrates the important role that vets play in safeguarding human and animal health, working to enhance food security and protecting the environment. We thank those vets who work not just for the local profession but for local councils and also for the federal government for the work that they do, particularly in biosecurity.

The 2006 census estimated that 63 per cent of Australian households own registered pets, and there are about 6,000 registered vets. Those of us who have engaged in that wonderful political activity called doorknocking will probably testify to the prevalence of dogs and cats, particularly dogs, as we have knocked on doors and opened gates and heard barking. In my electorate, particularly in the country towns such as Kilcoy, Toogoolawah, Esk, Lowood and Fernvale, the prevalence of dogs is particularly noted. They are much loved and we thank them for the work they do in protecting livestock and households. The Sunday before last I did what is commonly my work, a mobile office—my 41st since the last election—this time at the Fernvale markets. You can see all manner of dogs being led through the markets at Fernvale. I think there were almost more dogs than people at the markets at Fernvale last Sunday week.

The veterinary industry is invested in keeping our domestic animals healthy and disease free. Fortunately, we have done that. But their work extends not just to domestic animals but across the paddocks, through bushland and into the outback. This industry is particularly important in a regional and rural seat like Blair. Beef farming is widespread and dairy still exists. At one stage there they used to have about 25 dairy farms from Lynvale to Somerset to Mount Stanley. That is not the case now. Only a handful of dairies are up in the Brisbane Valley, but still vets are extremely important. Most country towns will see at least one veterinary practice in those types of places. They are very important for animal production in regional and rural areas. It is not just domestic dogs and cats that are important in the veterinary industry; there are the cattle as well as those dogs involved in rounding up cattle.

Vets are highly educated and well-qualified individuals who also act as a conduit for public health information to the wider medical profession. I have had local doctors speak to me about the importance of discussing issues concerning human health with vets and how the presence of an animal will make a difference to the psychological if not psychiatric health of an individual.

Worldwide, tragically, one person dies every 10 minutes from rabies. It is the most fatal infectious disease in the world, according to the World Veterinary Association. Of the 55,000 people who die from rabies each year, most are children, which is even worse, while 99 per cent of cases are as a direct result of dog bites. Australia is fortunate to have such a professional and effective veterinary industry. Our close geographic neighbours are not so lucky, and anyone who travels through South-East Asia will recognise that.

I want to acknowledge and thank publicly some of the unsung and forgotten heroes of the recent flood crisis—those who toiled day and night to save our animals and wildlife. Domestic pets, wildlife and commercial livestock were all caught up in the disaster, sending animal welfare organisations and vets to the breaking point. At one point the Queensland RSPCA received over 100 calls a minute from pets and animal owners seeking advice and information. In my electorate of Blair we witnessed an Ipswich resident, Mr Ray Cole, wrestling a drowning joey. Like the image of Sam the koala during the Victorian bushfires, the whole world witnessed the stoic Australian spirit and our love for our native wildlife.

In Gatton in the Lockyer Valley, which was formerly part of the electorate of Blair, local vets spent days with little sleep, bandaging, treating and euthanasing affected pets, horses and wildlife from immediate area, referring many to the University of Queensland veterinary hospital for ongoing treatment. Small animal vet professor Bob Donnelly and his staff at the university’s vet clinic offered their services to the Lockyer Valley Regional Council after the electricity and water supply could not be guaranteed at the local pound. He was quoted as saying:

They came in one by one—dogs covered in mud, cats terrified from their ordeal and horses that had worn down their hooves swimming for up to 30 hours to stay afloat. The Lockyer Council’s animal management offices did an amazing job searching houses and buildings for animals that had survived the flood. In some cases they had to rescue animals from houses that had collapsed.

Vets around Ipswich and the Brisbane Valley performed similar heroic acts during the flood crisis in South-East Queensland. We have special people to care for animals, but at a time of crisis these vets, their nurses, technicians, families and friends rose to levels of achievement that even they never thought possible. There are some quite extreme examples of the extent to which veterinary professionals went to support their local communities.

In Queensland, the RSPCA staff and volunteers care for over 41,000 animals every year. Further afield, organisations like Vets Beyond Borders provide the people and animals of our nearby neighbours with invaluable support.

I want to acknowledge also the work done by the School of Veterinary Science and vets in the Lockyer Valley in what we call the western corridor. I wish to acknowledge the public education institutions that train our vets. On 6 August 2010 I represented the Hon. Julia Gillard, then Minister for Education, when I opened the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Science at Gatton. The university received $47.2 million towards the building of that school. This was while Gatton was part of the electorate of Blair. As their federal member, I lobbied very hard to achieve this funding. The ears of certain ministers are probably still ringing from the amount of times I cajoled them into giving us this money. This provided a single site for agriculture, crop, animal and veterinary science, including collocating with the Centre for Advanced Animal Science and other existing animal production and research facilities. This impressive facility is important not just for the Lockyer Valley but for Toowoomba, Somerset, Ipswich, the Scenic Rim and Brisbane—indeed, the whole of the western corridor, as we call it in South-East Queensland.

Since the 1880s, when Dr William Tyson Kendall, a 29-year-old vet, migrated to Australia, vets have performed wonderful, heroic deeds. He really is the founding father of veterinary science in Australia and is recognised as such. Since then Australian vets have worked to improve animal and human health by working tirelessly to diagnose and treat health problems in domestic, production and wild animals; helping to increase food quality, quantity and safety; protecting the public by helping preventable diseases from occurring; promoting animal welfare; playing a crucial role in biomedical research; and helping to protect the environment and biodiversity. I proudly commend the motion to the House and I acknowledge the good work of vets all over Australia, but particularly in South-East Queensland during the flood crisis.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This year marks the 250th anniversary of veterinary education in the world. It has also been designated World Veterinary Year to honour the contribution of the veterinary profession to society. The first veterinary school was established in Lyon, France, in 1761, which was shortly followed by the Alfort Veterinary School, near Paris. Both of these institutions were the initiative of French veterinarian Claude Bourgelat. He collaborated with surgeons in Lyon and was the first scientist to suggest that studying animal biology and pathology would help to improve our understanding of human biology and pathology. If he had never worked this link out, modern human medicine may have been delayed for some time. We can thank him for his contribution not only to veterinary science but also to medical science.

In 1909 an act of the Victorian parliament enabled the establishment of the veterinary school and Veterinary Research Institute at the University of Melbourne thus creating the first university veterinary school in Australia. The first Bachelor of Veterinary Science degrees were awarded that same year. More than 2,000 graduates have passed through this school including Margaret Keats MBE, Victoria’s first woman to graduate with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1923. Former students have entered every realm of veterinary science, whether treating pets in private practice; monitoring and regulating industries such as horse racing; and tackling disease. All these roles make a significant contribution to Australia’s agricultural industry.

Schools of veterinary medicine are now established around Australia, including in my electorate of Riverina. Indeed, in Wagga Wagga the Kay Hull Veterinary Teaching Hospital opened in April 2010. It was named after my predecessor, who, like me, was a strong advocate for further education to be available in regional Australia so students are not forced to move to metropolitan areas for their education. This hospital, based in Wagga Wagga, is part of the Charles Sturt University and has been acknowledged as a first-class teaching and clinical facility. This is a purpose-built teaching hospital and is used by students in their final three years of study and provides valuable clinical experience under the direct supervision of CSU veterinarians. These graduates will more than meet the diverse demands placed upon veterinarians in rural and regional Australia.

Veterinarians practice and promote the highest standards of science based ethical animal welfare with all animals large and small, domestic and exotic. They are on the front line, maintaining Australia’s status as free from diseases which threaten the environment, human and animal health and provide extensive pro bono services through ethical treatment of unowned animals and wildlife. The role of vets has been no more important than during the equine influenza epidemic of 2007-08 which threatened the viability of the horse racing industry—particularly thoroughbreds and particularly in regional Australia. It is veterinarians who ensure the high quality of our commercial herds and flocks, of our food supply, and who work in preventative medicine to control zoonotic diseases—infectious diseases which can be transmitted from animal to animal or animal to human—and other scientific research.

Some Australian veterinarians who have gained great achievements and made significant contributions to our country and our world include the following. Dr Peter Doherty was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1996 and was Australian of the Year in 1997. His research focuses on the immune system and his Nobel work described how the body’s immune cells protect against viruses; Professor Mary Barton is a leading veterinarian bacteriologist with a distinguished career in government and veterinary public health with a strong research background in bacterial infections of animals and in antibiotic resistance in animal and human health. She is currently a professor of microbiology at the University of South Australia. Dr Reg Pascoe is a renowned equine surgeon and dermatologist and leader in his profession for more than 50 years. When the contagious equine metritis outbreak erupted in 1977, Dr Pascoe acted as consultant to the federal government with one of the recommendations being the need for improved communication within the horse industry. This led to the formation of the Australian Horse Council in 1982, where he remained as acting secretary and acting chairman for many years.

Many people view veterinarians as only animal doctors and animal welfare advocates but this is not the case. They are also key public health stakeholders because of their crucial role in promoting food security by supervising animal production hygiene, controlling infectious diseases which can be transmitted from animals to other animals or to humans, monitoring food quality and safety, protecting the environment and partaking in biomedical research. I thank veterinarians—very special people—for all the valuable and diverse roles they perform in Australian communities, particularly in regional communities, and celebrate with them their past and continuing contribution as true professionals.

Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.