{"id":"veterinarians-act-1994","name":"Veterinarians Act 1994","slug":"veterinarians-act-1994","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30626,"registerId":"nt-veterinarians-act-1994-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Veterinarians Act 1994","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nVETERINARIANS ACT 1994\nAs in force at 1 November 2022\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Interpretation ................................................................................... 1\nPart 2 Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory\n4 Establishment of Board ................................................................... 3\n5 Membership of Board ...................................................................... 3\n6 Functions and powers of Board ....................................................... 5\n7 Meetings and proceedings of Board ................................................ 6\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and\nveterinary specialists\nDivision 1 Registrar and Register\n8 Registrar .......................................................................................... 6\n9 Delegation ....................................................................................... 6\n10 Veterinary Register .......................................................................... 7\nDivision 2 Registration\n11 Application for registration ............................................................... 7\n12 Direction for registration, &c. ........................................................... 8\n13 Registration as veterinarian ............................................................. 8\n14 Further requirements concerning registration .................................. 9\n15 Registration as veterinary specialist .............................................. 10\n16 Limited registration ........................................................................ 11\n17 Interim registration ......................................................................... 13\nDivision 3 Conditions of registration, &c.\n18 Registration subject to express conditions..................................... 13\n19 Annual fee ..................................................................................... 14\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\n20 Method of effecting registration ..................................................... 15\n20A Primary and secondary registration ............................................... 15\n\nVeterinarians Act 1994 ii\n21 Certificate of registration ................................................................ 16\n22 Change of name, address or qualifications.................................... 17\n23 Cancellation of registration at request ........................................... 18\nPart 4 Offences of practising unregistered, &c.\n24 Provision of services by unregistered, &c., persons ...................... 19\n25 Falsely holding out as registered, &c. ............................................ 19\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\n26 Complaints against registered veterinarians .................................. 20\n27 Complaints of misconduct against persons formerly registered..... 21\n28 Meaning of misconduct .................................................................. 22\n29 Board to investigate complaint....................................................... 22\n30 Board may carry out investigation on own initiative ....................... 23\n31 Board may suspend registration .................................................... 24\n31A Procedure of investigation ............................................................. 25\n31B Completion of investigation............................................................ 25\n31C Person who is reprimanded or cautioned may require hearing...... 26\n31D Notice of hearing ........................................................................... 26\n32 Procedure at inquiry ...................................................................... 27\n33 Board's findings at hearing ............................................................ 28\n34 Disciplinary action .......................................................................... 29\n35 Supplementary provisions ............................................................. 30\nPart 6 Appeals\n36 Appeal to Local Court .................................................................... 31\n37 Powers of Local Court on appeal................................................... 32\n38 Entries in register, &c. ................................................................... 32\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 1 Enforcement provisions\n39 Inspectors for purposes of Act ....................................................... 33\n40 Powers of inspectors and persons assisting inspectors ................ 34\n41 Obstructing, &c., of inspectors ....................................................... 35\n42 Personation ................................................................................... 36\nDivision 2 Miscellaneous offences\n43 False or misleading statements ..................................................... 36\n44 Unauthorised alteration of Register or certificate of registration .... 36\n45 Registered veterinarian to notify Board of civil claims ................... 37\n\nVeterinarians Act 1994 iii\nDivision 3 General\n46 Alteration, &c., of conditions of application .................................... 37\n47 Effect to be given to interstate suspensions, &c. ........................... 37\n48 Power of Board to annul suspension, &c., of registration .............. 38\n49 Confidentiality ................................................................................ 38\n50 Protection for things done under Act ............................................. 38\n51 Evidentiary certificates ................................................................... 38\n52 Service of notices, &c. ................................................................... 39\n53 Regulations.................................................................................... 39\nPart 8 Repeals, savings and transitional\nprovisions\n54 Repealed Acts ............................................................................... 40\n55 Savings and transitional provisions ............................................... 40\nSchedule 1 Further provisions with respect to\nappointed members and elected members\nSchedule 2 Meetings and proceedings of Board\nSchedule 3 Repealed Acts\nSchedule 4 Savings and transitional provisions\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 1 November 2022\n____________________\nVETERINARIANS ACT\nAn Act to provide for the registration of veterinarians and veterinary\nspecialists, to regulate the provision of veterinary services, and for\nrelated purposes\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Veterinarians Act 1994.\n2 Commencement\nThis Act shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by the\nAdministrator by notice in the Gazette.\n3 Interpretation\n(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\nappointed member means a member appointed under\nsection 5(1)(c).\napproved means approved by the Board.\nBoard means the Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory\nestablished under section 4(1).\ncertificate of registration means a certificate of registration issued\nunder section 21(1).\nChief Inspector, see the Livestock Act 2008.\nelected member means a member elected for the purposes of\nsection 5(1)(b) and includes a person who is to be taken under the\nRegulations to be elected.\ninspector means a person who is, in accordance with\nsection 39(1), an inspector for the purposes of this Act.\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nVeterinarians Act 1994 2\ninterim registration means registration as a veterinarian or\nveterinary specialist authorised under section 17(1).\nlimited registration has the meaning given by section 16(1).\nmember means a member of the Board.\nmisconduct shall be construed in accordance with section 28.\nnotice of hearing means a notice served under section 31D(1).\nnotice of investigation means a notice served under section 29(1)\nor 30(1).\nprescribed means prescribed by the Regulations.\nPresident means the President of the Board.\nprimary registration means registration on the Register recorded\nas primary registration.\nrecord includes a radiograph, a case record, pathology report,\nspecialist's report, euthanasia form and any other recording in\nrelation to a particular case.\nRegister means the Veterinary Register maintained in pursuance\nof section 10(1).\nregistered veterinarian means a person whose registration,\nincluding interim or limited registration, as a veterinarian is currently\nin force.\nregistered veterinary specialist means a person whose\nregistration, including interim registration, as a veterinary specialist\nis currently in force.\nRegistrar means the Registrar of the Board appointed under\nsection 8(a), and includes a person appointed under section 8(b)\nwhile acting as Registrar.\nregistration means registration on the Register.\nsecondary registration means registration on the Register\nrecorded as secondary registration.\nthis Act includes the Regulations.\n\nPart 2 Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory\nVeterinarians Act 1994 3\nveterinary services means services which form part of the practice\nof veterinary surgery or veterinary medicine, and includes:\n(a) attendance, examination, the diagnosis of the physiological\nstatus of an animal, the diagnosis of disease or injury, the\ntreatment of disease or injury, giving advice on the diagnosis\nor treatment of disease or injury, the prescribing of medicines\nand drugs, administering vaccines, and the provision of\nveterinary certificates; and\n(b) a prescribed service,\nbut does not include a service declared by the Regulations not to\nbe a veterinary service.\n(2) A reference in this Act to the provision of a veterinary service\nincludes a reference to the provision of such a service otherwise\nthan for fee or reward.\nPart 2 Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory\n4 Establishment of Board\n(1) There is established by this Act a Board to be known as the\nVeterinary Board of the Northern Territory.\n(2) The Board:\n(a) is a body corporate with perpetual succession;\n(b) shall have a common seal; and\n(c) is capable, in its corporate name, of acquiring, holding and\ndisposing of real (including leasehold) and personal property,\nand of suing and being sued.\n(3) All courts, judges and persons acting judicially shall take judicial\nnotice of the common seal of the Board affixed to a document, and\nshall presume that it was duly affixed.\n5 Membership of Board\n(1) The Board consists of the following members:\n(a) the Chief Inspector or, while a person appointed under\nsubsection (3) is a member, that person;\n\nPart 2 Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory\nVeterinarians Act 1994 4\n(b) 2 registered veterinarians elected by registered veterinarians\nby postal ballot to represent the interests of registered\nveterinarians; and\n(c) 2 persons:\n(i) one of whom is not and never has been a registered\nveterinarian or a veterinarian registered under an Act of\na State or another Territory of the Commonwealth and\nwho is appointed by the Minister to represent the public\ninterest after considering the recommendation, if any, of\nthe Board; and\n(ii) one of whom may be, but need not be, a registered\nveterinarian, appointed by the Minister after considering\nthe recommendation, if any, of the Board.\n(2) A person is not eligible to be elected or appointed a member unless\nhe or she is resident in the Territory.\n(3) The Minister may in writing appoint a person to be a member of the\nBoard for the purposes of subsection (1)(a).\n(4) The Minister must, before appointing a person to be a member\nunder subsection (1)(c), notify the Board that the Minister seeks its\nrecommendation as to whom the member should be, unless the\nBoard has already given its recommendation to the Minister.\n(5) The Board may, within 30 days after being notified under\nsubsection (4), recommend to the Minister a person to be appointed\na member under subsection (1)(c).\n(6) The Regulations are to provide for the conduct of elections by\npostal ballot under subsection (1)(b) and may provide for:\n(a) the Registrar to declare a candidate in an election to be an\nelected member if the number of candidates for the election is\nequal to or less than the number of vacancies; and\n(b) the Minister to appoint a registered veterinarian to be an\nelected member if:\n(i) there are no candidates for an election; or\n(ii) the number of candidates for an election is less than the\nnumber of vacancies.\n(7) The Chief Inspector or, if a person is appointed under\nsubsection (3) to be a member, that person, is the President of the\nBoard.\n\nPart 2 Veterinary Board of the Northern Territory\nVeterinarians Act 1994 5\n(8) The Minister must appoint one of the members who is a registered\nveterinarian to be the Vice President of the Board.\n(9) Schedule 1 has effect with respect to members and their deputies.\n6 Functions and powers of Board\n(1) The functions of the Board are:\n(a) to promote high standards of professional conduct in the\nprovision of veterinary services in the Territory;\n(b) to determine, in accordance with Part 3, applications for the\nregistration of persons as veterinarians or veterinary\nspecialists;\n(c) to exercise in relation to persons registered, or formerly\nregistered, as veterinarians or veterinary specialists the\ndisciplinary powers conferred by Part 5;\n(d) to investigate any matter relating to the professional conduct\nof registered veterinarians or veterinary specialists, or to the\nprovision of veterinary services, that:\n(i) it considers desirable to investigate; or\n(ii) the Minister directs it to investigate,\nand to report to the Minister on a matter investigated at the\nMinister's direction;\n(e) without limiting the generality of paragraph (a), to issue\nguidelines in relation to standards to be observed by\nregistered veterinarians and veterinary specialists in and in\nconnection with the provision of veterinary services;\n(f) to make the public aware of its existence and its functions;\n(g) to give advice to a person where requested on a matter\nrelating to the professional conduct of a registered veterinarian\nor veterinary specialist or the provision of veterinary services;\n(h) to investigate suspected offences against this Act and to\nprosecute such offences; and\n(j) such other functions as are imposed on it by or under this or\nany other Act.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 1 Registrar and Register\nVeterinarians Act 1994 6\n(2) The Board has power to do all things necessary or convenient to be\ndone for or in connection with the performance of its functions or\nthe exercise of its powers.\n(3) Without limiting the generality of subsection (2), the Board may\nemploy such persons as it thinks fit to advise or assist it in the\nperformance of its functions or the exercise of its powers.\n7 Meetings and proceedings of Board\nSchedule 2 has effect with respect to the Board's meetings and\nproceedings.\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary\nspecialists\nDivision 1 Registrar and Register\n8 Registrar\nThe Minister:\n(a) shall appoint a person who is an employee within the meaning\nof the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 1993\nto be the Registrar of the Board; and\n(b) may appoint such a person to act from time to time as\nRegistrar of the Board during the absence of the Registrar\nfrom the Territory or from duty or during a vacancy in the office\nof Registrar.\n9 Delegation\n(1) The Registrar may, by instrument in writing, delegate to a person\nwho is an employee within the meaning of the Public Sector\nEmployment and Management Act 1993 any of the Registrar's\npowers and functions under this Act, other than this power of\ndelegation.\n(2) A power or function delegated under this section, when exercised\nor performed by the delegate, shall, for the purpose of this Act, be\ndeemed to have been exercised or performed by the Registrar.\n(3) A delegation under this section does not prevent the exercise of a\npower or the performance of a function by the Registrar.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 2 Registration\nVeterinarians Act 1994 7\n10 Veterinary Register\n(1) The Registrar shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, in\naccordance with this Act, a Register of veterinarians and veterinary\nspecialists to be called the Veterinary Register.\n(2) The Register shall be kept at the office of the Board, and a person\nmay, at any time during normal office hours and on payment of the\nprescribed fee, if any, inspect the Register and take copies of or\nextracts from entries in it.\n(3) The Registrar shall, on receipt of a request in writing and the\nprescribed fee, if any, provide the person making the request with a\ncopy of an entry in the Register specified in the request.\nDivision 2 Registration\n11 Application for registration\n(1) A person may apply for registration as a veterinarian by lodging\nwith the Board:\n(a) an application in the approved form; and\n(b) the prescribed application fee; and\n(c) evidence that the applicant:\n(i) is the holder of the prescribed qualifications; or\n(ii) has current registration in a State or another Territory;\nand\n(d) any other prescribed documents.\n(2) The application must include:\n(a) the applicant's full name; and\n(b) the applicant's address for service of documents under this\nAct; and\n(c) details of the applicant's professional qualifications and\nexperience in each State or Territory of the Commonwealth in\nwhich the applicant is currently or has been registered.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 2 Registration\nVeterinarians Act 1994 8\n12 Direction for registration, &c.\n(1) After considering an application, the Board may, subject to\nsection 13:\n(a) direct the Registrar to register the applicant by making an\nentry in the Register; or\n(b) refuse to make such a direction.\n(2) Where the Board refuses to make a direction, it shall, without delay,\nnotify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal.\n13 Registration as veterinarian\n(1) Where the Board is satisfied that the applicant:\n(a) is a fit and proper person to provide veterinary services in the\nTerritory and is qualified to be registered by reason of holding\na prescribed qualification; or\n(b) is currently registered for the purpose of practising veterinary\nsurgery or medicine in a State or another Territory of the\nCommonwealth, the registration not being subject to a\nlimitation of a kind described in section 16(1),\nthe Board shall direct the Registrar to register the applicant.\n(2) For the purposes of this section, the Board may regard a person as\nnot being a fit and proper person to provide veterinary services in\nthe Territory if the Board is of the opinion that:\n(a) an application by the person for authorisation, whether by\nregistration, licence or otherwise, to provide veterinary\nservices in a State or Territory of the Commonwealth, or in a\nplace outside the Commonwealth, has at any time been\nrefused;\n(b) a registration, licence or other form of authorisation entitling\nthe person to provide veterinary services in a State or Territory\nof the Commonwealth, or in a place outside the\nCommonwealth, has at any time been:\n(i) cancelled or suspended; or\n(ii) while in force, subject to conditions or a variation in\nconditions;\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 2 Registration\nVeterinarians Act 1994 9\n(c) under a law regulating the provision of veterinary services in a\nState or Territory of the Commonwealth, or in a place outside\nthe Commonwealth, the person:\n(i) has at any time been reprimanded or cautioned; or\n(ii) is the subject of an investigation,\nrelating to his or her professional conduct or any other\nrelevant matter;\n(d) a claim for damages or other compensation for or in respect of\nalleged negligence or other misconduct in the provision of\nveterinary services has been made against the person during\nthe 2 years immediately before his or her application for\nregistration;\n(e) the person has at any time been found guilty:\n(i) in the Territory, of an indictable offence; or\n(ii) in a State or Territory of the Commonwealth or a place\noutside the Commonwealth, of an offence that would\nhave been an indictable offence had it been committed\nin the Territory;\n(f) the person has at any time been found guilty, in the Territory\nor a State or another Territory of the Commonwealth or a\nplace outside the Commonwealth, of an offence against:\n(i) this Act or any other law relating to the provision of\nveterinary services;\n(ii) a law prohibiting or regulating the possession, sale, use\nor supply of, or other dealing in, a poison, drug or similar\nsubstance; or\n(iii) a law relating to the welfare of, or the prevention of\ncruelty to, animals; or\n(g) the person is, for any reason, incapable of providing veterinary\nservices of a satisfactory quality.\n14 Further requirements concerning registration\nThe Board may, before determining an application, serve on the\napplicant a notice in writing requiring the applicant:\n(a) to supply the Board, within a period specified in the notice,\nwith further information about any matter so specified; or\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 2 Registration\nVeterinarians Act 1994 10\n(b) to attend the Board in person at a time and place specified in\nthe notice.\n15 Registration as veterinary specialist\n(1) A person registered or eligible to be registered as a veterinarian\nunder section 13 may apply to be registered as a veterinary\nspecialist:\n(a) in a branch of veterinary surgery or medicine in which he or\nshe is registered as a specialist in a State or another Territory\nof the Commonwealth; or\n(b) in any branch of veterinary surgery or medicine.\n(2) An application under subsection (1)(a) shall be made to the Board\nin an approved form accompanied by the prescribed application\nfee.\n(3) If the Board is satisfied that the applicant is registered in a State or\nanother Territory as a specialist in the branch of veterinary surgery\nor medicine specified in the application, it shall direct his or her\nregistration as a veterinary specialist in that branch.\n(4) An application under subsection (1)(b) shall be in accordance with a\nform approved by the Advisory Committee and shall be\naccompanied by:\n(a) the documents specified in the form; and\n(b) the prescribed application fee; and\n(c) the fee required by the Advisory Committee for examining,\nand making recommendations about, applications for\nspecialist registration,\nand the Board shall, on receiving the application, forward a copy of\nthe form to the Advisory Committee, together with copies of all\naccompanying documents and the fee referred to in paragraph (c).\n(5) The Board may, by notice in writing, require an applicant under\nsubsection (1)(b) to supply the Board with information about a\nmatter specified in the notice.\n(6) The Board shall not determine an application under\nsubsection (1)(b) until:\n(a) it has received from the Advisory Committee its\nrecommendation as to whether or not the applicant should be\nregistered in accordance with the application; and\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 2 Registration\nVeterinarians Act 1994 11\n(b) the applicant has complied, to the Board's satisfaction, with a\nnotice under subsection (5).\n(6) The Board is not bound by a recommendation of the Advisory\nCommittee in determining an application but it shall notify the\nAdvisory Committee in writing of a determination that is contrary to\na recommendation of the Committee.\n(7) The Board may direct the registration of an applicant under\nsubsection (1)(b) as a veterinary specialist in the branch applied for,\nor may refuse the application.\n(8) Where the Board refuses an application under subsection (1)(b), it\nshall, in writing, inform the applicant of the refusal and notify the\napplicant:\n(a) whether or not the Advisory Committee recommended\nregistration;\n(b) where the Advisory Committee recommended registration – of\nthe Board's reasons for the refusal; and\n(c) where the Advisory Committee recommended against\nregistration – of the Committee's reasons for its\nrecommendation and, if different, the Board's reasons for the\nrefusal.\n(9) In this section, Advisory Committee means the body from time to\ntime recognised by the authorities responsible for the registration of\nveterinary specialists in the States and Territories of the\nCommonwealth as having the function of promoting uniform\nstandards for such registration, being the body known at the\npassing of this Act by the Legislative Assembly as the Advisory\nCommittee on Registration of Veterinary Specialists.\n16 Limited registration\n(1) The Board may direct a person's registration as a veterinarian to be\nlimited as to one or more of the following:\n(a) the period, not exceeding 2 years, for which it is to continue in\nforce;\n(b) the veterinary services that it authorises the person to provide;\n(c) the purposes for which, or the circumstances in which, it\nauthorises the person to provide veterinary services.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 2 Registration\nVeterinarians Act 1994 12\n(2) An application for limited registration may be made to the Board by\na person who is not entitled to registration as a veterinarian under\nsection 13 because he or she:\n(a) is not qualified within the meaning of section 13(1)(a) or is not\nregistered for the purpose of practising veterinary surgery or\nmedicine in a State or other Territory of the Commonwealth; or\n(b) is so registered but is subject to a limitation under\nsubsection (1).\n(3) An application for limited registration shall be made in accordance\nwith an approved form accompanied by the prescribed application\nfee.\n(4) Where an application for limited registration is made by a person to\nwhom subsection (2)(a) refers, the Board:\n(a) may, by notice in writing served on the applicant, require the\napplicant:\n(i) to supply to the Board, within a period specified, further\ninformation about matters specified in the notice; or\n(ii) to attend the Board in person at a time and place\nspecified in the notice; or\n(b) shall, as it thinks fit:\n(i) direct that the applicant be registered as a veterinarian,\nsubject to one or more limitations under subsection (1);\nor\n(ii) refuse to make such a direction.\n(5) Where the Board refuses to make a direction under\nsubsection (4)(b)(i), it shall, without delay, notify the applicant in\nwriting of the refusal and the reasons for the refusal.\n(6) Where an application for limited registration is made by a person\nreferred to in subsection (2)(b), the Board shall direct the applicant's\nregistration as a veterinarian subject to a limitation corresponding to\nthe limitation to which the applicant's registration elsewhere in the\nCommonwealth is subject.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 3 Conditions of registration, &c.\nVeterinarians Act 1994 13\n17 Interim registration\n(1) Where a person has applied to the Board for registration as a\nveterinarian or as a veterinary specialist, if:\n(a) 2 members; or\n(b) the Registrar and one member,\nare of the opinion that, subject to subsection (2), when the Board\nconsiders the application, it will direct that the applicant be\nregistered in accordance with the application, they may in writing\nauthorise the applicant's interim registration as a veterinarian or as\na veterinary specialist in the branch of veterinary surgery or\nmedicine specified in the application.\n(2) A person who is not registered as a veterinary specialist in a State\nor another Territory of the Commonwealth may apply for interim\nregistration in a branch of veterinary surgery or medicine in the\nsame way as an application under section 15 and interim\nregistration may be authorised under subsection (1) only if the\nBoard has received a recommendation under section 15(6)(a) from\nthe Advisory Committee referred to in section 15(9) specifically\nrecommending the registration applied for.\n(3) A person's interim registration continues in force until:\n(a) he or she becomes registered in accordance with a direction\nof the Board; or\n(b) the Board refuses to make a direction for registration and the\nperson is notified in writing of the refusal and the reasons for\nthe refusal.\n(4) After a person referred to in subsection (3)(b) has been notified of\nthe Board's refusal to make the direction, the Registrar shall record\non the Register that the interim registration has ceased to have\neffect.\nDivision 3 Conditions of registration, &c.\n18 Registration subject to express conditions\n(1) Registration as a veterinarian shall be subject to a condition\nspecified in:\n(a) a direction of the Board for a person's registration, including\nlimited registration, as a veterinarian; or\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 3 Conditions of registration, &c.\nVeterinarians Act 1994 14\n(b) an authorisation for a person's interim registration as a\nveterinarian.\n(2) Where a direction or authorisation provides for a person's\nregistration to be subject to a condition, the Registrar shall include\ndetails of the condition in the Register entry.\n(3) A registered veterinarian shall not contravene or fail to comply with\na condition to which his or her registration is subject.\nMaximum penalty for an offence against this subsection:\n500 penalty units.\n19 Annual fee\n(1) A registered veterinarian, other than a veterinarian having interim\nregistration, must, on or before 1 January in each year, pay to the\nBoard:\n(a) the prescribed annual fee for registration as a veterinarian;\nand\n(b) if he or she is registered as a veterinary specialist – the\nprescribed annual fee for registration as a veterinary\nspecialist,\nfor the calendar year beginning 1 January.\n(2) Where a registered veterinarian fails to pay the prescribed annual\nfee in accordance with subsection (1), the Registrar shall serve on\nhim or her a notice specifying a day on or before which the fee is to\nbe paid.\n(3) Where a registered veterinarian on whom a notice under\nsubsection (2) is served fails to pay the fee on or before the day\nspecified in the notice, his or her registration as a veterinarian is\ncancelled together with his or her registration, if any, as a veterinary\nspecialist, and the Registrar shall note the Register accordingly.\n(4) Subsection (5) applies if a person (other than a veterinarian having\ninterim registration):\n(a) is eligible for primary registration; and\n(b) applies for registration between 1 October and 31 December\nin a year.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nVeterinarians Act 1994 15\n(5) On payment by the person of the annual registration fee for that\nyear, the Board may waive the requirement for the payment of the\nannual registration fee for the first calendar year after that year and\ndirect the Registrar to register the person.\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\n20 Method of effecting registration\nThe Registrar must register a person by recording in the Register\nthe prescribed entry if:\n(a) one of the following applies:\n(i) the Board has directed the person's registration,\nincluding limited registration, as a veterinarian or\nveterinary specialist;\n(ii) the person's interim registration as a veterinarian or\nveterinary specialist has been authorised under\nsection 17(1);\n(iii) a court has, on an appeal, made an order for the\nregistration as a veterinarian of the person for whom the\nBoard refused to make a direction for registration; and\n(b) the person has paid the annual registration fee.\n20A Primary and secondary registration\n(1) The Board must direct the Registrar to record a person's\nregistration as a primary registration if the Board is satisfied the\nmajority of the person's veterinary practice is conducted in the\nTerritory.\n(2) The Board must direct the Registrar to enter a person's registration\nas a secondary registration if the Board is satisfied:\n(a) the majority of a person's veterinary practice is conducted in a\nState or another Territory; and\n(b) the person's registration for that State or Territory continues in\nforce for the period for which the person would be registered\nunder this section.\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nVeterinarians Act 1994 16\n21 Certificate of registration\n(1) On registering a person under section 20, the Registrar shall issue\nto the person a certificate of registration that:\n(a) certifies that the person:\n(i) is registered or has interim registration as a veterinarian;\nor\n(ii) is registered or has interim registration as a veterinary\nspecialist in a branch of veterinary surgery or medicine\nspecified in the certificate; and\n(aa) states whether the registration is primary or secondary; and\n(b) where the person is registered with limited registration, states\nthe fact and specifies the respects in which the registration is\nlimited; and\n(c) specifies any conditions to which the registration is subject or,\nin the case of a person in respect of whose application the\nBoard refused to make a direction for registration, the order for\nthe person's registration made by a court on an appeal; and\n(d) bears the Board's common seal.\n(2) A registered veterinarian or registered veterinary specialist shall\ncause his or her certificate of registration to be displayed at all\ntimes in a conspicuous position at the place, or principal place, at or\nfrom which he or she provides veterinary services.\nMaximum penalty: 20 penalty units.\n(3) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against\nsubsection (2) that the person, in compliance with subsection (4)(d)\nor with sections 22(1) or 23(3) was for that reason, at the material\ntime, not in possession of the certificate.\n(4) Where, at any time after the issue of a certificate of registration to a\nregistered veterinarian:\n(a) a condition is imposed on his or her registration;\n(b) a condition to which the registration is subject is cancelled or\nvaried; or\n(c) where that registration is a limited registration, the limitations\nto which it is subject are varied,\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nVeterinarians Act 1994 17\nthe Registrar shall:\n(d) by notice in writing served on the registered veterinarian,\nrequire him or her to deliver the certificate to the Registrar on\nor before a day specified in the notice, not earlier than 14 days\nafter the date of service of the notice; and\n(e) on receipt of the certificate, amend it appropriately and return\nit without delay to the registered veterinarian.\n(5) Where a person's registration under this Act is suspended or\ncancelled, the Registrar shall, by notice in writing served on the\nperson, require the person to surrender his or her certificate of\nregistration to the Registrar on or before a day specified in the\nnotice, being a day not earlier than 14 days after service of the\nnotice.\n(6) A person shall not refuse or fail to comply with a notice under\nsubsection (4)(d) or (5).\nMaximum penalty: 20 penalty units.\n22 Change of name, address or qualifications\n(1) A registered veterinarian who changes his or her name shall notify\nthe Registrar in writing of the change not later than 28 days after its\noccurrence, and shall send with the notification his or her certificate\nof registration as a veterinarian and, if registered as a veterinary\nspecialist, his or her certificate of registration as a veterinary\nspecialist.\nMaximum penalty: 20 penalty units.\n(2) A registered veterinarian who:\n(a) commences to provide veterinary services otherwise than on\nan occasional basis at or from particular premises; or\n(b) ceases to provide veterinary services otherwise than on an\noccasional basis at or from particular premises that were\nformerly being used by the veterinarian in connection with\nveterinary services,\n\nPart 3 Registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists\nDivision 4 Miscellaneous\nVeterinarians Act 1994 18\nshall, not later than 28 days after commencing to use or ceasing to\nuse the premises for or in connection with the provision of\nveterinary services, notify the Registrar in writing, specifying the full\npostal address of the premises at or from which he or she is now\nproviding or intending to provide veterinary services otherwise than\non a casual basis and, if different, his or her address for service by\npost.\nMaximum penalty: 20 penalty units.\n(3) On receiving a notification under subsection (1) or (2) from a\nregistered veterinarian, the Registrar shall:\n(a) in the case of a notification of change of name – amend the\nRegister and the certificate or certificates of registration\naccordingly and return them to the registered veterinarian;\n(b) record in the Register the address of the premises as a\nprofessional address of the registered veterinarian and the\naddress for service by post; or\n(c) in a case referred to in subsection (2)(b) – delete the\nreference to the premises from the Register.\n(4) If a registered veterinarian so requests in writing, the Registrar shall\namend the Register by substituting an address specified in the\nrequest for the address recorded as the veterinarian's address for\nservice.\n(5) A registered veterinarian may, in writing, request the Registrar to\namend the Register by adding a professional qualification specified\nin the request to a qualification recorded in respect of the\nveterinarian, and the Registrar shall comply with the request if\nsatisfied that the veterinarian is entitled to the additional\nqualification.\n23 Cancellation of registration at request\n(1) If:\n(a) a registered veterinarian requests, in writing, the Registrar to\ncancel his or her registration as a veterinarian together with\nhis or her registration, if any, as a veterinary specialist; or\n(b) a registered veterinary specialist requests, in writing, the\nRegistrar to cancel his or her registration as a veterinary\nspecialist,\nthe Registrar shall, subject to subsection (2), comply with the\nrequest.\n\nPart 4 Offences of practising unregistered, &c.\nVeterinarians Act 1994 19\n(2) The Registrar shall not consider a request under subsection (1)\nunless it is accompanied by the certificate of registration relating to\nthe registration to be cancelled.\n(3) The Registrar shall cancel a registration pursuant to this section by\nentering on the Register that it is cancelled and the date on which\nthe entry is made.\nPart 4 Offences of practising unregistered, &c.\n24 Provision of services by unregistered, &c., persons\n(1) Subject to subsection (3), a person shall not provide a veterinary\nservice unless the person is a registered veterinarian.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(2) Subject to subsection (3), a person having limited registration:\n(a) where the registration limits the veterinary services that the\nperson is authorised to provide – shall not provide a veterinary\nservice that the person is not authorised to provide under the\nregistration; or\n(b) where the registration limits the purposes for which, or the\ncircumstances in which, the person is authorised to provide\nveterinary services – shall not provide a veterinary service for\na purpose, or in circumstances, that is or are not authorised by\nthe registration.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) The Regulations may exclude from the operation of subsections (1)\nand (2) the provision of veterinary services, or of a class or\ndescription of veterinary services, in specified cases, being cases\nspecified by reference to the class or description of persons\nproviding the services, the circumstances in which the services are\nprovided, or both such matters, and accordingly those subsections\ndo not apply.\n25 Falsely holding out as registered, &c.\n(1) A person who is not a registered veterinarian shall not do anything,\nor cause or permit anything to be done, that is likely to cause\nanother person to believe on reasonable grounds that the first-\nmentioned person is a registered veterinarian or is otherwise\nauthorised to provide veterinary services in the Territory.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 20\n(2) A person who is not a registered veterinary specialist shall not do\nanything, or cause or permit anything to be done, that is likely to\ncause another person to believe on reasonable grounds that the\nfirst-mentioned person is a registered veterinary specialist.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(3) A person who is a registered veterinary specialist shall not do\nanything, or cause or permit anything to be done, that is likely to\ncause another person to believe on reasonable grounds that the\nfirst-mentioned person is registered as a specialist in a branch of\nveterinary surgery or medicine other than that in which he or she is\nin fact registered.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\n(4) A person shall not hold out:\n(a) a person who is not a registered veterinarian as being either a\nregistered veterinarian or otherwise authorised to provide\nveterinary services in the Territory;\n(b) a person who is not a registered veterinary specialist as being\na registered veterinary specialist; or\n(c) a person who is a registered veterinary specialist as being\nregistered as a specialist in a branch of veterinary surgery or\nmedicine other than that in which he or she is in fact\nregistered.\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units.\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\n26 Complaints against registered veterinarians\n(1) A person may make a complaint to the Board against a registered\nveterinarian on the ground that the veterinarian:\n(a) has been guilty of misconduct;\n(b) is guilty of habitual drunkenness, or of addiction to a drug that\nadversely affects his or her ability to provide veterinary\nservices;\n(c) has been found guilty:\n(i) in the Territory, of an offence punishable on conviction\nby imprisonment for 6 months or more; or\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 21\n(ii) elsewhere, of an offence that would have been an\noffence so punishable had it been committed in the\nTerritory;\n(d) has been found guilty of an offence against the Poisons and\nDangerous Drugs Act 1983 or Medicines, Poisons and\nTherapeutic Goods Act 2012;\n(e) has been found guilty of an offence under the Animal\nProtection Act 2018;\n(f) made a false or misleading statement in connection with his or\nher application for registration as a veterinarian or as a\nveterinary specialist; or\n(g) having obtained registration as a veterinarian under\nsection 13(1)(a), provided veterinary services while being no\nlonger qualified, within the meaning of that subsection, to do\nso.\n(2) A complaint under this section shall be in writing and shall:\n(a) state the complainant's full name, and an address for the\nservice of notices or other documents on the complainant;\n(b) clearly identify the registered veterinarian against whom the\ncomplaint is made;\n(c) contain particulars of the matter complained of; and\n(d) be accompanied by the prescribed fee, if any.\n(3) A complaint may only be made against a registered veterinarian if\nthe grounds on which the complaint is made arose within the\n2 years immediately before the making of the complaint.\n27 Complaints of misconduct against persons formerly registered\n(1) A person may make a complaint to the Board against a person\nformerly registered under this Act on the ground that that person\nwas, as a registered veterinarian, guilty of misconduct during the\nperiod of 6 months immediately preceding the making of the\ncomplaint.\n(2) A complaint under this section shall be in writing, and shall:\n(a) state the complainant's full name and an address for the\nservice on the complainant of notices or other documents;\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 22\n(b) clearly identify the person against whom the complaint is\nmade;\n(c) contain particulars of the misconduct complained of; and\n(d) be accompanied by the prescribed fee, if any.\n28 Meaning of misconduct\n(1) For the purposes of this Act, a registered veterinarian or a person\nformerly registered under this Act is guilty of misconduct if he or\nshe:\n(a) is guilty of improper or unethical conduct, or is incompetent or\nnegligent, in or in connection with the provision of a veterinary\nservice;\n(b) contravenes or fails to comply with this Act, a prescribed code\nof conduct or a condition to which his or her registration is\nsubject; or\n(c) uses in connection with the provision of veterinary services a\nqualification or title relating to his or her competence to\nprovide such services that is not shown in his or her entry in\nthe Register.\n(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a), a registered veterinarian or a\nperson formerly registered under this Act is taken to be incompetent\nif he or she is unable or fails to uphold or maintain contemporary\nprofessional standards.\n29 Board to investigate complaint\n(1) Subject to subsection (5), if a complaint is made under section 26\nor 27, the Board must serve on the person against whom the\ncomplaint is made a notice of investigation.\n(2) A notice of investigation under subsection (1) is to:\n(a) inform the person on whom it is served:\n(i) that a complaint has been made against him or her;\n(ii) of the grounds of the complaint; and\n(iii) of the particulars contained in the complaint;\n(b) state that the Board proposes to carry out an investigation into\nthe complaint;\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 23\n(c) specify a date, being a date not earlier than 28 days after the\nnotice is served, by which the Board is to complete the\ninvestigation; and\n(d) inform the person of the right conferred on him or her by\nsection 31A(2) and the date, being a date not earlier than\n7 days after the notice is served, by which the person must\nmake his or her submission to the Board.\n(3) If the Board serves a notice of investigation on a person, it must:\n(a) send a copy of the notice to the complainant; and\n(b) inform the complainant in writing that the notice has been\nserved.\n(4) If the Board serves a notice of investigation on a person, the Board\nmust:\n(a) carry out an investigation into the complaint; and\n(b) complete the investigation by the date specified in the notice\nor by a later date fixed by the Board.\n(5) If the Board fixes a later date under subsection (4)(b) it must serve\nwritten notice of the date on the complainant and the person on\nwhom the notice of investigation was served.\n(6) If a complaint appears to the Board to be frivolous, vexatious or\nminor, the Board must dismiss the complaint and serve the\ncomplainant with written notice of its dismissal.\n30 Board may carry out investigation on own initiative\n(1) If the Board is, otherwise than by reason of a complaint made to it\nunder this Part, of the opinion:\n(a) in the case of a registered veterinarian – that a complaint may\nlie against him or her on a ground specified in section 26(1); or\n(b) in the case of a person formerly registered under this Act –\nthat the person may have been guilty of misconduct when he\nor she was a registered veterinarian,\nthe Board may serve on him or her a notice of investigation in\naccordance with subsection (3).\n(2) A notice of investigation served on a person formerly registered\nunder this Act may relate only to misconduct during the period of\n2 years immediately before the date on which the notice is served.\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 24\n(3) A notice of investigation under this section is to:\n(a) inform the person on whom it is served of the Board's opinion\nand the reason for the Board's opinion and, in a case to which\nsubsection (1)(a) refers, is to specify the ground of complaint;\n(b) state that the Board proposes to carry out an investigation into\nthe matter;\n(c) specify the date, being a date not earlier than 28 days after\nthe notice is served, by which the Board is to complete the\ninvestigation; and\n(d) inform the person of the right conferred on him or her by\nsection 31A(2) and the date, being a date not earlier than\n7 days after the notice is served, by which the person must\nmake his or her submission to the Board.\n(4) If the Board serves a notice of investigation under this section, it\nmust:\n(a) carry out an investigation; and\n(b) complete the investigation by the date specified in the notice\nor by a later date fixed by the Board.\n(5) If the Board fixes a later date under subsection (4)(b) it must serve\nwritten notice of the date on the person on whom the notice of\ninvestigation was served.\n31 Board may suspend registration\n(1) If the Board serves a notice of investigation on a registered\nveterinarian, it may, if it considers it in the public interest:\n(a) in the notice; or\n(b) by another notice served on the registered veterinarian,\nsuspend the registered veterinarian's registration from the date of\nservice of the notice.\n(2) A notice under subsection (1)(b) may be served at any stage during\nthe Board's proceedings in relation to the notice of investigation.\n(3) The suspension remains in force:\n(a) until the Board certifies, by notice served on the registered\nveterinarian, that his or her suspension is cancelled; or\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 25\n(b) in relation to a matter under investigation that proceeds to a\nhearing – until the hearing is concluded and a notice is served\non the registered veterinarian under section 33(1),\nwhichever is the earlier.\n31A Procedure of investigation\n(1) An investigation under this Part is to be conducted by the Board in\nthe manner the Board thinks fit.\n(2) The person in relation to whom the investigation is to be carried out\nis entitled to make written submissions to the Board for the\npurposes of the investigation.\n31B Completion of investigation\n(1) If a complaint was made under section 26 or 27, the Board must\ncomplete an investigation by determining:\n(a) that the complaint is dismissed and take no further action;\n(b) if satisfied that there is prima facie evidence to substantiate\nthe complaint – that the Board will proceed to a hearing; or\n(c) if satisfied that a ground specified in section 26(1) has been\nestablished against a registered veterinarian – that the Board\nwill reprimand or caution the veterinarian and take no further\naction.\n(2) If the Board served a notice under section 30, the Board must\ncomplete an investigation by determining that the Board:\n(a) will take no further action;\n(b) will proceed to a hearing; or\n(c) will reprimand or caution the person to whom the notice\nrelates and take no further action.\n(3) The Board must, not later than 28 days after completing an\ninvestigation, serve notice of the determination on the complainant,\nif any, and the person in relation to whom the investigation was\ncarried out.\n(4) If the Board determines to reprimand or caution a person, a notice\nunder subsection (3) is to contain:\n(a) the reprimand or caution; and\n(b) the reasons for the Board's decision.\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 26\n(5) If:\n(a) the registration of a person in relation to whom an\ninvestigation was carried out was suspended under\nsection 31; and\n(b) the Board determines that it will not take further action,\nthe Board must certify that the suspension is cancelled.\n(6) A decision by the Board under subsection (1) or (2) to take no\nfurther action in relation to an investigation of a matter does not\nprevent the Board from reinvestigating the matter at a later date if:\n(a) the circumstances of the matter have changed; or\n(b) the Board receives new information in relation to the matter.\n31C Person who is reprimanded or cautioned may require hearing\n(1) If the person to whom an investigation relates receives a notice\nunder section 31B(3) reprimanding or cautioning him or her, he or\nshe may in writing request the Board to proceed to a hearing.\n(2) The Board must proceed to a hearing if it receives a request under\nsubsection (1).\n31D Notice of hearing\n(1) If:\n(a) the Board has determined under section 31B(1) that it is to\nproceed to a hearing; or\n(b) the Board must proceed to a hearing under section 31C(2),\nthe Board must serve a notice of hearing on the person in relation\nto whom the hearing is to be held.\n(2) A notice of hearing is to:\n(a) specify the time and place of the hearing; and\n(b) inform the person of the rights conferred on him or her by\nsection 32(5).\n(3) The time specified in the notice of hearing is not, without the\nconsent of the person on whom the notice is served, to be less than\n14 days after the date of service of the notice.\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 27\n(4) If:\n(a) the Board has served a notice of hearing; and\n(b) the hearing is a result of a complaint made to the Board under\nsection 26 or 27,\nthe Board must:\n(c) send a copy of the notice to the complainant; and\n(d) inform the complainant in writing that he or she is entitled to\nattend the hearing and of the rights conferred by section 32(5)\non the person on whom the notice of hearing was served.\n(5) The Board must hold the hearing:\n(a) at the time and place specified in the notice of hearing; or\n(b) at a later time or other place fixed by the Board.\n(6) If the Board fixes a later date or other place under subsection (5)(b)\nit must serve written notice of the date or place on the complainant,\nif any, and the person on whom the notice of hearing was served.\n32 Procedure at inquiry\n(1) The Board may, by notice in writing served on a person, summon\nthe person to give evidence at a hearing under this Part, or to\nproduce at the hearing documents or records in the person's\npossession or under his or her control.\n(2) A person shall not, without reasonable excuse, refuse or fail to\ncomply with a notice served under subsection (1).\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(3) The Board may require a person appearing before it to give\nevidence on oath.\n(4) A person shall not, without reasonable excuse, refuse or fail to\nanswer a question put to the person by the Board in the course of a\nhearing.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(5) The person in relation to whom an inquiry is held is entitled:\n(a) to be advised at the hearing by a legal practitioner but is not\nentitled to legal representation; and\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 28\n(b) to give evidence or call and to examine any other person who\ngives evidence at the hearing; and\n(c) with the leave of the Board, to summon witnesses.\n(6) The Board shall not refuse leave to summon a witness to give\nevidence at a hearing unless that would, in its opinion, delay\nunreasonably the conclusion of the hearing.\n(7) The Board:\n(a) shall conduct a hearing with as little formality and technicality,\nand with as much expedition, as a proper consideration of the\nmatter before it permits; and\n(b) is not bound by any rules or practice as to evidence, but may\ninform itself on a matter as it thinks fit.\n(8) The Board may appoint a legal practitioner to assist it in a hearing\nbut is not entitled to legal representation.\n(9) The Board may hold a hearing in the absence of the person in\nrelation to whom it is held if it is satisfied that he or she was served\nin accordance with section 31D with a notice of the time and place\nof the inquiry.\n(10) The Board may adjourn its proceedings from time to time or from\nplace to place, and may determine a hearing notwithstanding that a\nparty to the proceedings has failed to appear at the time and place\nfixed for the hearing.\n33 Board's findings at hearing\n(1) The Board must, at the conclusion of a hearing:\n(a) record its findings in writing;\n(b) not later than 28 days after the conclusion – serve on the\nperson in relation to whom the hearing was held a written\nnotice stating the findings; and\n(c) specify in the notice the disciplinary action, if any, to be taken\nunder section 34.\n(3) Where the hearing resulted from a complaint under section 26\nor 27, the Registrar shall send to the complainant a copy of the\nBoard's notice under subsection (1)(b).\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 29\n(4) The Board may cause to be published in a newspaper or other\npublication circulating in the Territory the reasons for a hearing and\nits findings.\n(5) The Board may refund to the complainant, wholly or in part, the fee,\nif any, that accompanied the complaint.\n34 Disciplinary action\n(1) Where at a hearing held under this Part in respect of a registered\nveterinarian the Board finds a ground specified in section 26(1) to\nhave been established, it may, in a notice under section 33(1)\nserved on the veterinarian do one or more of the following:\n(a) reprimand or caution the veterinarian;\n(b) impose a condition to which the veterinarian's registration is to\nbe subject, or vary a condition to which the registration is\nalready subject;\n(c) require the veterinarian to pay to the Board, within a specified\ntime, a fine not exceeding 200 penalty units;\n(d) require the veterinarian to pay to a complainant, within a\nspecified time, a specified amount by way of compensation for\nany loss or detriment suffered by the complainant;\n(e) suspend for a specified period not exceeding 5 years:\n(i) the veterinarian's registration together with his or her\nregistration, if any, as a veterinary specialist; or\n(ii) where the veterinarian is registered as a veterinary\nspecialist, that registration only;\n(f) cancel:\n(i) the veterinarian's registration together with his or her\nregistration, if any, as a veterinary specialist; or\n(ii) where the veterinarian is registered as a veterinary\nspecialist, that registration only;\n(g) require the veterinarian:\n(i) to pay to the Board, within a specified time, a specified\namount in respect of the costs incurred by the Board in\nconnection with the hearing; or\n\nPart 5 Disciplinary proceedings\nVeterinarians Act 1994 30\n(ii) to pay to a complainant, within a specified time, a\nspecified amount in respect of any reasonable costs\nincurred by the complainant in connection with the\nmaking of his or her complaint or the hearing.\n(2) Where, at a hearing under this Part in respect of a person formerly\nregistered under this Act, the Board finds that the person has, as a\nregistered veterinarian, been guilty of misconduct within the time\nlimited by section 27(1) or 30(2), it may by a notice under\nsection 33(1) served on the person, do in relation to him or her all\nor any of the things authorised by subsection (1)(a), (c), (d) and (g)\nto be done in relation to a registered veterinarian.\n(3) If the Board in a notice under section 33(1):\n(a) cancels a veterinarian's registration; or\n(b) takes action under subsection (2),\nit may, by the notice, specify a date before which the person to\nwhom the notice relates is not eligible to make an application for\nregistration and the Board is not obliged to consider an application\nmade by the person before that date.\n35 Supplementary provisions\n(1) Where a notice under section 33(1):\n(a) imposes a condition to which a registration is to be subject or\nvaries a condition to which a registration is already subject; or\n(b) suspends or cancels a registration,\nthe notice takes effect from the time of its service, and the Registrar\nshall note the Register accordingly.\n(2) Where a notice under section 33(1) requires the person on whom it\nis served to pay a fine to the Board, an amount by way of\ncompensation to a complainant, or an amount in respect of costs to\nthe Board or a complainant, and the fine or amount is not paid\nwithin the time specified in the notice:\n(a) the Board or the complainant, as the case may be, may\nrecover the fine or amount from the person as a debt due and\npayable; and\n(b) where that person is a registered veterinarian, the Board may\nif it thinks fit, by notice in writing served on him or her,\nsuspend his or her registration, together with his or her\nregistration, if any, as a veterinary specialist, until the fine or\n\nPart 6 Appeals\nVeterinarians Act 1994 31\namount is paid.\n(3) The suspension of a registration by a notice under subsection (2)(b)\nshall take effect on the service of the notice, and the Registrar shall:\n(a) note the suspension on the Register; and\n(b) on being satisfied that the fine or amount in question has been\npaid, note on the Register that the suspension has ceased to\nhave effect.\nPart 6 Appeals\n36 Appeal to Local Court\n(1) An appeal to the Local Court lies under this Part as follows:\n(a) an applicant for registration as a veterinarian under section 13\nwhose application the Board refuses because it is not satisfied\nthat the applicant is a fit and proper person to provide\nveterinary services in the Territory may, within 28 days after\nthe date on which notice of the refusal is given pursuant to\nsection 12(2), appeal against the refusal;\n(b) a registered veterinarian whose registration is subject to a\ncondition imposed under section 18(1) may, within 28 days\nafter the date on which his or her certificate of registration is\nissued, appeal against the condition;\n(c) a person in relation to whom a hearing is held under Part 5\nmay, within 28 days after the service on him or her of a notice\nunder section 33(1), appeal against any or all of the following:\n(i) a finding stated in the notice;\n(ii) a requirement of, or action, if any, effected by the notice.\n(2) The Local Court may, on an application made by a person on whom\na right of appeal is conferred by subsection (1), within the period\nallowed for bringing the appeal, extend or further extend the period\nduring which the appeal may be brought.\n(3) An appeal to the Local Court against a finding of the Board shall,\nunless the Court otherwise directs, be by way of rehearing.\n\nPart 6 Appeals\nVeterinarians Act 1994 32\n37 Powers of Local Court on appeal\n(1) On an appeal under section 36(1)(a), the Local Court may, by\norder:\n(a) direct that the appellant be registered, with or without\nconditions, as a veterinarian under section 13; or\n(b) dismiss the appeal.\n(2) On an appeal under section 36(1)(b), the Local Court may, by\norder:\n(a) confirm a condition appealed against;\n(b) cancel a condition; or\n(c) vary a condition in a manner specified in the order.\n(3) On an appeal under section 36(1)(c), the Local Court may, by\norder:\n(a) confirm or quash a finding stated in a notice under\nsection 33(1);\n(b) confirm or quash a requirement of or action effected by notice\nunder section 33(1); or\n(c) exercise a power of the Board under section 34.\n38 Entries in register, &c.\n(1) The Registrar shall make the entries in the Register as are\nappropriate by reason of an order made by the Local Court on an\nappeal under this Part or, on a further appeal, by the Supreme\nCourt.\n(2) Where:\n(a) an order of a Court requires a registered veterinarian to pay a\nfine to the Board, an amount by way of compensation to a\ncomplainant or an amount in respect of costs to the Board or a\ncomplainant; and\n(b) the amount is not paid in accordance with the order,\nthe Board may, if it thinks fit, by notice in writing served on the\nregistered veterinarian, suspend his or her registration, together\nwith his or her registration, if any, as a veterinary specialist, until the\nfine or amount is paid.\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 1 Enforcement provisions\nVeterinarians Act 1994 33\n(3) The suspension of a registration by a notice under subsection (2)\nshall take effect on the service of the notice, and the Registrar shall:\n(a) note the suspension on the Register; and\n(b) on being satisfied that the fine or amount in question has been\npaid, note on the Register that the suspension has ceased to\nhave effect.\n(4) Where:\n(a) the Board has found a person to have been guilty of\nmisconduct, and has published a notice of its finding under\nsection 33(4); and\n(b) the finding is quashed by a court on appeal,\nthe Board shall publish a notice, in a manner similar to the notice\npublished under section 33(4), advising that its finding has been\nquashed by the Court.\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 1 Enforcement provisions\n39 Inspectors for purposes of Act\n(1) Each member of the Board, and such other persons as the\nPresident, by instrument, appoints to be inspectors, are inspectors\nfor the purposes of this Act.\n(2) The Registrar shall issue to each member and person appointed\nunder subsection (1) an identity card containing a photograph of the\nmember or person and his or her signature, verified by the\nsignature of the Registrar, and a statement to the effect that the\nmember or person is an inspector for the purposes of this Act and\nentitled to exercise the powers conferred by section 40.\n(3) A person who ceases to be a member, or whose appointment as an\ninspector is terminated, shall surrender to the Registrar the identity\ncard issued to him or her under subsection (2).\nMaximum penalty for an offence against subsection (3): 20 penalty\nunits.\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 1 Enforcement provisions\nVeterinarians Act 1994 34\n40 Powers of inspectors and persons assisting inspectors\n(1) For the purpose of:\n(a) ascertaining whether a person:\n(i) has contravened or failed to comply with, or is\ncontravening or failing to comply with, this Act; or\n(ii) being a registered veterinarian, has contravened or\nfailed to comply with, or is contravening or failing to\ncomply with, a condition to which his or her registration\nis subject;\n(b) investigating on behalf of the Board a matter that is the subject\nof an investigation or hearing under Part 5; or\n(c) under the direction of the Board, investigating any other\nmatter,\nan inspector may at a reasonable time:\n(d) enter and inspect any premises (not being premises that are\nprincipally residential premises) that the inspector believes on\nreasonable grounds are used for or in connection with the\nprovision of veterinary services;\n(e) examine any records or other documents, or any apparatus,\ndevice or other article, found on the premises;\n(f) open and examine the contents of:\n(i) a package; or\n(ii) an unlocked container, cupboard, drawer, chest, trunk,\nbox, cage or other receptacle,\nfound on the premises;\n(g) require a person on the premises to unlock a locked part of, or\na locked container, cupboard, drawer, chest, trunk, box, cage\nor other receptacle on the premises; and\n(h) require a person on the premises to answer questions put by\nthe inspector or to explain a record or other document\nexamined by the inspector.\n(2) An inspector may take copies of or extracts from a record or other\ndocument found on premises entered by the inspector in the\nexercise of the inspector's powers under subsection (1), and may\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 1 Enforcement provisions\nVeterinarians Act 1994 35\nfor that purpose take possession of a record or document and\nremove it from the premises for such time as is reasonable.\n(3) An inspector who enters premises in pursuance of this section is\nnot authorised to remain on the premises if, on the request of a\nperson apparently in charge of the premises, the inspector does not\nproduce the identity card issued under section 39(2).\n(4) An inspector may request a person to assist the inspector in the\nexercise of his or her powers under this section, and a person\nassisting the inspector in response to such a request has all the\npower and protection of the inspector under this section as are\nreasonably necessary for the purpose.\n41 Obstructing, &c., of inspectors\n(1) A person shall not:\n(a) resist or obstruct, or incite or encourage another person or an\nanimal to resist or obstruct, an inspector or person assisting\nan inspector in the exercise of a power under section 40; or\n(b) use threatening language, or behave in a threatening manner,\ntowards an inspector or person assisting an inspector while\nexercising such a power.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units or imprisonment for\n6 months.\n(2) A person who refuses or fails to comply with a requirement of an\ninspector or person assisting an inspector made in the exercise of a\npower under section 40, to the extent that he or she is capable of\ncomplying with the requirement, is guilty of an offence.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n(3) A person is not excused from answering a question or giving an\nexplanation required by an inspector or person assisting an\ninspector on the grounds that the answer or explanation might tend\nto incriminate him or her, but an answer or explanation so given is\nnot admissible in criminal proceedings against the person other\nthan proceedings for an offence against this Act.\n(4) A person who:\n(a) is required by an inspector or person assisting an inspector, in\nthe exercise of a power under section 40, to answer a\nquestion or give an explanation; and\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 2 Miscellaneous offences\nVeterinarians Act 1994 36\n(b) gives an answer or explanation that is false or misleading in a\nmaterial particular,\nis guilty of an offence.\nMaximum penalty: 100 penalty units.\n42 Personation\nA person shall not personate or falsely claim to be an inspector or a\nperson lawfully assisting an inspector.\nMaximum penalty: 400 penalty units or imprisonment for\n2 years.\nDivision 2 Miscellaneous offences\n43 False or misleading statements\n(1) A person shall not in an advertisement or notice relating to the\nprovision of veterinary services by the person, make a statement or\nrepresentation that is false or misleading by reason of the inclusion\nof any false or misleading matter or the omission of a material\nmatter.\nMaximum penalty: 400 penalty units or imprisonment for\n2 years.\n(2) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against\nsubsection (1) if the person proves that, at the time when the\nstatement or representation was made, he or she believed on\nreasonable grounds that:\n(a) the false matter was true or that it was not misleading; or\n(b) no material matter had been omitted or the omitted matter was\nnot material.\n44 Unauthorised alteration of Register or certificate of registration\nA person other than the Registrar or a person authorised by the\nRegistrar shall not:\n(a) make or alter an entry in the Register; or\n(b) alter a certificate of registration.\nMaximum penalty: 400 penalty units or imprisonment for\n2 years.\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 3 General\nVeterinarians Act 1994 37\n45 Registered veterinarian to notify Board of civil claims\nWhere a person has claimed damages or other compensation from\na registered veterinarian for alleged negligence or other misconduct\nin the provision of veterinary services, the veterinarian shall, not\nlater than 28 days after:\n(a) being ordered by a court to pay damages or compensation in\nrespect of the claim; or\n(b) making an agreement to pay an amount of money in\nsettlement of the claim, whether with or without a denial of\nliability,\ninform the Board in writing of the claim and of the terms of the order\nor agreement.\nMaximum penalty: 20 penalty units.\nDivision 3 General\n46 Alteration, &c., of conditions of application\nThe Board may, if it thinks fit, on the application in writing of a\nregistered veterinarian, direct that a condition to which his or her\nregistration is subject be varied as specified in the direction or\ncancelled, and the Registrar shall note the Register accordingly.\n47 Effect to be given to interstate suspensions, &c.\n(1) Where a person's registration under this Act as a veterinarian or as\na veterinary specialist is founded on a registration (the founding\nregistration) in a State or other Territory of the Commonwealth,\nand:\n(a) the founding registration is suspended or cancelled; or\n(b) where the founding registration is subject to limitations – the\nlimitations are varied,\nthe Board shall, by notice in writing served on the person, suspend\nor cancel the registration, or vary the limitations, to correspond with\nthe founding registration.\n(2) A notice under subsection (1) shall take effect on the date of\nservice and the Registrar shall note the Register accordingly.\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 3 General\nVeterinarians Act 1994 38\n48 Power of Board to annul suspension, &c., of registration\nWhere a person's registration has been suspended or cancelled by\nor under this Act, the Board may, whether or not on application of\nthe person:\n(a) at any time; and\n(b) for a reason that the Board considers sufficient,\nannul the suspension or cancellation, and the Registrar shall note\nthe Register accordingly.\n49 Confidentiality\nA person shall not divulge or communicate information that he or\nshe acquires by reason of being engaged or employed or otherwise\nconcerned in, or in connection with, the administration or\nenforcement of this Act except:\n(a) with the consent of the person from whom the information was\nobtained; or\n(b) in connection with the administration or enforcement of this\nAct.\nMaximum penalty: 200 penalty units or imprisonment for\n12 months.\n50 Protection for things done under Act\nNo action or proceeding lies against a person engaged or employed\nor otherwise concerned in, or in connection with, the administration\nor enforcement of this Act for or in respect of anything done or\nomitted to be done by the person in good faith in the exercise or\npurported exercise of a power, or the performance or purported\nperformance of a function, under this Act.\n51 Evidentiary certificates\nA document purporting to be signed by the Registrar and certifying\nthat a specified person:\n(a) was or was not, on a specified day or during a specified\nperiod, a registered veterinarian, a registered veterinary\nspecialist or a registered veterinary specialist in a specified\nbranch of veterinary surgery or medicine; or\n\nPart 7 Miscellaneous\nDivision 3 General\nVeterinarians Act 1994 39\n(b) was, on a specified day or during a specified period, a person\nwhose registration as a registered veterinarian or veterinary\nspecialist was suspended or cancelled,\nis admissible in evidence in any legal proceedings, and is evidence\nof the matter certified.\n52 Service of notices, &c.\nWhere by this Act a notice or other document is required or\nauthorised to be served on or given to a person, it may be served or\ngiven:\n(a) by delivering it to the person personally; or\n(b) by sending it by prepaid post:\n(i) in the case of a registered veterinarian – to his or her\naddress for service as noted in the Register;\n(ii) in the case of a person who has made a complaint to the\nBoard under section 27 or 28 – to his or her address for\nservice as stated in the complaint; or\n(iii) in the case of any other person – to his or her last known\nplace of residence.\n53 Regulations\n(1) The Administrator may make regulations, not inconsistent with this\nAct, prescribing matters:\n(a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or\n(b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or\ngiving effect to this Act.\n(2) The Regulations may prescribe the following:\n(a) the branches of veterinary surgery or medicine in which a\nperson may be registered as a veterinary specialist;\n(b) fees payable under this Act;\n(c) a fine not exceeding 200 penalty units for an offence against\nthe Regulations.\n(3) The Regulations may prescribe a code of conduct for registered\nveterinarians, and may include a penalty, not exceeding\n200 penalty units, for a contravention of or failure to comply with, a\nspecified provision of the code.\n\nPart 8 Repeals, savings and transitional provisions\nVeterinarians Act 1994 40\n(4) Regulations declaring services not to be veterinary services within\nthe meaning of this Act may, to the extent that they so provide, be\nextended or varied by the Minister by notice in the Gazette.\nPart 8 Repeals, savings and transitional provisions\n54 Repealed Acts\nThe Acts specified in Schedule 3 are repealed.\n55 Savings and transitional provisions\nSchedule 4 has effect.\n\nSchedule 1 Further provisions with respect to appointed members and elected members\nVeterinarians Act 1994 41\nSchedule 1 Further provisions with respect to appointed\nmembers and elected members\nsection 5(8)\n1. Terms of office\n(1) Subject to this Schedule, an appointed member holds office for\nsuch period, not exceeding 3 years, as is specified in his or her\ninstrument of appointment, but is eligible for reappointment.\n(2) Subject to this Schedule, an elected member holds office for\n3 years on and from the date on which the person's election is\ndeclared and is eligible for re-election.\n(3) On the expiry of an elected member's or an appointed member's\nperiod of office, the member continues to hold office until the\ncommencement of another appointment or election, as the case\nmay be, to that office.\n2. Vacation of office\nA member may resign office by writing signed by him or her and\ndelivered to the Minister.\n3. Grounds for removal from office\n(1) The Minister may remove a member from office if the member:\n(a) is absent without leave of the Board from 2 consecutive\nmeetings of the Board of which reasonable notice was given\nto the member either personally or by post;\n(b) is found guilty:\n(i) in the Territory, of an offence punishable by\nimprisonment for 6 months or more; or\n(ii) elsewhere, of an offence that would have been an\noffence so punishable if it had been committed in the\nTerritory;\n(c) is found guilty of an offence under the Poisons and Dangerous\nDrugs Act 1983, Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods\nAct 2012 or Animal Protection Act 2018;\n(d) is, in the opinion of the Minister, incapable of fulfilling his or\nher duties satisfactorily;\n\nSchedule 1 Further provisions with respect to appointed members and elected members\nVeterinarians Act 1994 42\n(e) is found by the Board, after it has held a hearing under Part 5,\nto be guilty of misconduct; or\n(f) has failed, without reasonable excuse or the permission of the\nBoard, to attend 3 consecutive meetings of the Board.\n(2) The Minister must notify the Board of the removal from office of an\nelected member.\n(3) A person ceases to be a member if he or she ceases to reside in\nthe Territory.\n(4) An elected member ceases to be a member on ceasing to be a\nregistered veterinarian.\n(5) A member who is a registered veterinarian ceases to be a member\nif he or she is found by the Board to not be a fit and proper person\nto provide veterinary services in the Territory.\n(6) The Board may regard a person as not a fit and proper person to\nprovide veterinary services in the Territory if the Board holds an\nopinion in relation to the person of a kind specified in section 13(2).\n(7) The Registrar must notify the Minister if a member ceases to be a\nmember under subclause (4) or (5).\n(8) If:\n(a) a vacancy occurs in the office of an elected member otherwise\nthan by the expiry of the term for which the member was\nelected; and\n(b) the balance of the term is less than 6 months,\nthe Registrar must request the Minister to advise whether the\nMinister intends to appoint a person to the office under clause 4(1).\n(9) The Minister must, within 14 days after receiving a request under\nsubclause (8), notify the Registrar that:\n(a) the Minister intends to appoint a person to the office under\nclause 4(1); or\n(b) an election is required to be held.\n\nSchedule 1 Further provisions with respect to appointed members and elected members\nVeterinarians Act 1994 43\n4. Filling of casual vacancies\n(1) Subject to subclause (5), if a vacancy occurs in the office of a\nmember other than by the expiry of the term for which the member\nwas appointed or elected, the Minister may appoint a person who is\nresident in the Territory to the vacant office for the balance of that\nterm.\n(2) A person appointed under subclause (1) must, in the case of a\nvacancy in the office of:\n(a) a member elected for the purposes of section 5(1)(b) – be a\nregistered veterinarian; or\n(b) a member appointed under section 5(1)(c)(i) – be a person\nwho, in the opinion of the Minister, is capable of representing\nthe interests of users of veterinary services.\n(3) The Minister must, before appointing a person to be a member\nunder subclause (1), seek the recommendation of the Board as to\nthe person who should be appointed under this clause, unless the\nBoard has already given its recommendation to the Minister.\n(4) A person appointed under subclause (1):\n(a) in the place of a person who was appointed to be a member –\nis to be taken to be an appointed member; or\n(b) in the place of a person who was elected to be a member – is\nto be taken to be an elected member,\nfor the purposes of this Act.\n(5) If:\n(a) a vacancy occurs in the office of an elected member otherwise\nthan by the expiry of the term for which the member was\nelected; and\n(b) the balance of the term is more than 6 months,\nan election is to be held for the purposes of section 5(1)(b) to fill the\nvacant office of the member.\n5. Resignation of Vice-President\nThe Vice-President may resign office as Vice-President by writing\nsigned by him or her and delivered to the Minister.\n\nSchedule 1 Further provisions with respect to appointed members and elected members\nVeterinarians Act 1994 44\n6. Deputies of members\n(1) Subject to subclause (2), the Minister may appoint a person to be a\ndeputy of a member during the Minister's pleasure.\n(2) A person appointed to be a deputy of a member shall have the\nsame qualifications for membership as the member in respect of\nwhom the appointment of deputy is made.\n(3) A deputy of a member may act in the member's place:\n(a) during a period when the member is absent from his or her\noffice through illness or any other cause; or\n(b) if the member is unable or unwilling for any reason to act as a\nmember in relation to a particular matter – in relation to the\nmatter.\n(4) For the purposes of subclause (3)(a), a member shall be deemed to\nbe absent from his or her office:\n(a) if there is a vacancy in the office that has not been filled by an\nappointment under clause 4(1); or\n(b) while he or she is acting in the office of President.\n(5) A deputy while acting as deputy of a member may perform the\nfunctions and exercise the powers of the member.\n(6) A deputy may at any time resign office by writing signed by him or\nher and delivered to the Minister.\n\nSchedule 2 Meetings and proceedings of Board\nVeterinarians Act 1994 45\nSchedule 2 Meetings and proceedings of Board\nsection 7\n1. Meetings\n(1) The President shall call such meetings of the Board as are\nnecessary for the exercise of its powers and the performance of its\nfunctions.\n(2) The Minister may, at any time, direct the President to convene a\nmeeting of the Board and the President shall convene a meeting in\naccordance with the direction.\n(3) At a meeting of the Board, the President or, in his or her absence\nthe Vice-President, shall preside and in the absence of both, the\nmembers shall elect one of their number to act as President and\nthat person may exercise the powers and shall perform the\nfunctions of the President for that meeting.\n(4) The quorum for a meeting of the Board is 3, of whom one shall be\nan elected member.\n(5) Questions arising at a meeting of the Board shall be decided by a\nmajority of the votes of the members present and voting, and the\nmember presiding at the meeting shall have both a deliberative vote\nand a casting vote.\n(6) The President may invite a person to attend a meeting of the Board\nfor the purpose of assisting or advising the Board in its\ndeliberations, but a person attending by invitation is not included\ntowards a quorum for the meeting and is not entitled to vote.\n(7) Where a meeting of the Board is concerned with a matter arising\nunder Part 5 in relation to a member, the member shall not be\npresent at the meeting in his or her capacity as a member, and\nshall not act in that capacity in respect of the matter.\n(8) The Board shall cause to be kept full and accurate minutes of its\nmeetings.\n(9) Subject to this clause, the procedure at meetings of the Board shall\nbe as decided by the Board.\n2. Committees\n(1) The Board may establish a committee to advise it on a matter.\n\nSchedule 2 Meetings and proceedings of Board\nVeterinarians Act 1994 46\n(2) The Board may appoint persons who are not members to be\nmembers of a committee, but the membership of a committee shall\ncomprise at least one member of the Board.\n3. Validity of proceedings\nA proceeding or decision of the Board is not invalid by reason only\nof:\n(a) a defect or irregularity relating to the appointment of a member\nor a deputy of a member; or\n(b) a deputy of a member having acted in the place of the\nmember when the occasion for him or her to do so had not\narisen or had ceased.\n\nSchedule 3 Repealed Acts\nVeterinarians Act 1994 47\nSchedule 3 Repealed Acts\nsection 54\nAct Number and Year\nVeterinary Surgeons Ordinance 1960 No. 13, 1961\nVeterinary Surgeons Ordinance 1968 No. 30, 1968\nVeterinary Surgeons Ordinance 1971 No. 53, 1971\nVeterinary Surgeons Act 1979 No. 31, 1979\n\nSchedule 4 Savings and transitional provisions\nVeterinarians Act 1994 48\nSchedule 4 Savings and transitional provisions\nsection 55\n1. Interpretation\nIn this Schedule, the repealed Acts means the Acts specified in\nSchedule 3.\n2. Existing registrations\n(1) Subject to subclause (2), a person whose registration as a\nveterinary surgeon under the repealed Acts is in force immediately\nbefore the commencement of this Act shall be deemed on that\ncommencement to be registered as a veterinarian under section 13.\n(2) Subclause (1) shall cease to apply to a person at the expiry of the\nyear 1994 unless before that time he or she has duly applied in\naccordance with subclause (3) for registration under section 11.\n(3) A person's application for registration for the purposes of this clause\nshall be:\n(a) if the person is registered to practise veterinary surgery or\nmedicine in a State or other Territory of the Commonwealth in\nwhich he or she is, in the Board's opinion, permanently\nresident – an application for registration by virtue of\nsection 13(1)(b); or\n(b) in any other case – an application for registration by virtue of\nsection 13(1)(a) and the qualification referred to in\nparagraph (a) is not relevant.\n(4) The Registrar shall retain the Register of Veterinary Surgeons of\nthe Northern Territory kept under the repealed Acts and shall note it\nappropriately where a person entered in it ceases to be deemed to\nbe registered as a veterinarian by virtue of this clause, and the\nRegister shall, so long as and to the extent that it contains the\nname of a person who shall be deemed to be registered by virtue of\nthis clause, be treated for all purposes as part of the Register under\nthis Act.\n3. Existing certificates\nSo long as a person shall be deemed by virtue of clause 1 to be\nregistered as a veterinarian under this Act, the provisions of this Act\n(other than section 21(1)) relating to certificates of registration shall\napply in relation to the certificate of registration issued to the person\nunder the repealed Acts as they apply in relation to a certificate\n\nSchedule 4 Savings and transitional provisions\nVeterinarians Act 1994 49\nissued under section 21(1).\n4. Service of notices, &c.\nA notice or other document required or authorised by this Act to be\nserved on or given to a person who shall be deemed under\nclause 1 to be registered as a veterinarian under this Act may be\nserved or given by sending it by prepaid post to his or her\nprofessional address, if any, recorded in the Register or, if no such\naddress is recorded, to his or her last known place of residence.\n\nENDNOTES\nVeterinarians Act 1994 50\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nVeterinarians Act 1994 (Act No. 37, 1994)\nAssent date 18 May 1994\nCommenced 1 July 1994 (Gaz S41, 1 July 1994)\nStatute Law Revision Act 1995 (Act No. 14, 1995)\nAssent date 23 June 1995\nCommenced 23 June 1995\nSentencing (Consequential Amendments) Act 1996 (Act No. 17, 1996)\nAssent date 19 April 1996\nCommenced s 7: 19 April 1996; rem: 1 July 1996 (s 2, s 2 Sentencing\nAct 1995 (Act No. 39, 1995) and Gaz S15, 13 June 1996)\nVeterinarians Amendment Act 1999 (Act No. 50, 1999)\nAssent date 16 November 1999\nCommenced 22 March 2000 (s 2)\nStatute Law Revision Act 2001 (Act No. 3, 2001)\nAssent date 22 March 2001\nCommenced 22 March 2001\nVeterinarians Amendment (Fees and Penalties) Act 2005 (Act No. 47, 2005)\nAssent date 14 December 2005\nCommenced 28 March 2007 (Gaz G13, 28 March 2007, p 2)\nLivestock Act 2008 (Act No. 36, 2008)\nAssent date 8 December 2008\nCommenced 1 September 2009 (Gaz G34, 26 August 2009, p 3)\n\nENDNOTES\nVeterinarians Act 1994 51\nOaths, Affidavits and Declarations (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010 (Act No. 40,\n2010)\nAssent date 18 November 2010\nCommenced 1 March 2011 (s 2, s 2 Oaths, Affidavits and Declarations Act\n2010 (Act No. 39, 2010) and Gaz G7, 16 February 2011, p 4)\nPenalties Amendment (Children and Families, Health and Primary Industry, Fisheries\nand Resources) Act 2011 (Act No. 28, 2011)\nAssent date 31 August 2011\nCommenced 21 September 2011 (Gaz G38, 21 September 2011, p 4)\nMedicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2012 (Act No. 13, 2012)\nAssent date 27 April 2012\nCommenced 1 May 2014 (Gaz S22, 2014, p 12)\nLocal Court (Related Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 8, 2016)\nAssent date 6 April 2016\nCommenced 1 May 2016 (s 2, s 2 Local Court (Repeals and Related\nAmendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 9, 2016) and Gaz S34,\n29 April 2016)\nAnimal Protection Act 2018 (Act No. 25, 2018)\nAssent date 22 November 2018\nCommenced 1 November 2022 (Gaz S55, 1 November 2022)\nAmending Legislation\nAnimal Protection Amendment Act 2022 (Act No. 19, 2022)\nAssent date 12 September 2022\nCommenced 13 September 2022 (s 2)\n3 SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS\ns 15 Veterinarians Amendment Act 1999 (Act No. 50, 1999)\n4 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: ss 1, 3, 8, 9 and 26 and sch 1.\n5 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\ns 3 amd No. 50, 1999, s 4; No. 47, 2005, s 4; No. 36, 2008, s 155\ns 5 sub No. 14, 1995, s 10; No. 50, 1999, s 5\namd No. 36, 2008, s 155\ns 11 amd No. 47, 2005, s 5\ns 12 amd No. 47, 2005, s 6\ns 13 amd No. 50, 1999, s 14; No. 8, 2016, s 45\ns 14 amd No. 50, 1999, s 14\ns 15 amd No. 47, 2005, s 7\ns 16 amd No. 47, 2005, s 8\ns 18 amd No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 19 amd No. 50, 1999, s 6; No. 47, 2005, s 9\n\nENDNOTES\nVeterinarians Act 1994 52\ns 20 sub No. 47, 2005, s 10\ns 20A ins No. 47, 2005, s 10\ns 21 amd No. 47, 2005, ss 11 and 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 22 amd No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\nss 24 – 25 amd No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 26 amd No. 50, 1999, s 7; No. 3, 2001, s 8; No. 13, 2012, s 304; No. 25, 2018,\ns 130\ns 28 amd No. 50, 1999, s 8\nss 29 – 31 sub No. 50, 1999, s 9\nss 31A – 31D ins No. 50, 1999, s 9\ns 32 amd No. 50, 1999, s 14; No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 40, 2010, s 117; No. 28,\n2011, s 5\ns 33 amd No. 50, 1999, s 10\ns 34 amd No. 50, 1999, s 11; No. 47, 2005, s 12\ns 35 amd No. 50, 1999, s 14\ns 36 amd No. 50, 1999, s 12\ns 37 amd No. 50, 1999, s 14\ns 39 amd No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 40 amd No. 50, 1999, s 14\nss 41 – 45 amd No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 49 amd No. 47, 2005, s 14; No. 28, 2011, s 5\ns 53 amd No. 47, 2005, s 13\nsch 1 amd No. 17, 1996, s 6; No. 50, 1999, s 13; No. 3, 2001, s 8; No. 13, 2012,\ns 304; No. 25, 2018, s 130\nsch 4 amd No. 14, 1995, s 10","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The Act’s scope has been expanded and refined through multiple amendments recorded in the Endnotes. Notable changes include insertion of procedural investigation provisions (ss31A–31D by Vet Amendment Act 1999), primary/secondary registration mechanics (s20A inserted 2005), and later alignment with medicines, poisons and animal protection laws (see Endnotes). These amendments broadened procedural detail, enforcement powers, fee/penalty regimes and inter‑Act connections compared with the original text."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple decision‑makers and roles: Minister, Board, President, Vice‑President, Registrar, Advisory Committee (ss4–9, 15(9))","Several registration types and statuses to manage: primary, secondary, limited, interim, specialist (ss13, 16, 17, 20A, 21)","Detailed disciplinary and investigative procedure with time limits, suspension powers and review rights (ss29–35, 31, 31A–31D)","Enforcement and inspection powers with obligations and criminal penalties (ss39–42, 40(1)(d)–(h))","Regulatory discretion: Regulations may exclude services, prescribe codes, fees and specialist branches (s53, s24(3))","Interlocking duties and offences (false advertising, personation, misleading statements) with varied penalties (ss25, 43, 42)","Cross‑references to and dependence on other Acts and amendment history (Livestock Act, Medicines/Poisons, Animal Protection) creating interpretive complexity (s3 definitions; Endnotes)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act creates a Veterinary Board and Registrar to licence and regulate veterinarians and veterinary specialists in the Northern Territory. It makes registration mandatory to provide most veterinary services (s10, s13, s24), sets annual fees (s19), requires display of certificates (s21), gives inspectors entry and evidence powers (ss39–40), and establishes investigation, hearing, suspension and penalty processes for misconduct (ss29–35, 31). The Board and Registrar make key decisions; registered veterinarians bear the compliance costs and risk fines, suspension or cancellation (ss6, 34)."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation appears to maintain its original scope as established in 1994. While it has been amended multiple times (as shown in the endnotes) to update penalties, fees, and references to other modernised legislation (like the Animal Protection Act 2018), the core framework remains consistent with the original intent: regulating veterinary registration and professional conduct in the NT. The addition of primary/secondary registration (section 20A) and updated disciplinary procedures (sections 31A-31D) represent refinements rather than scope expansion."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate length (53 sections plus 4 schedules)","Multiple registration categories (full, limited, interim, specialist, primary/secondary) with different rules for each","Detailed disciplinary process with multiple stages (investigation, hearing, appeals) and specific procedural requirements","Cross-references to other NT legislation (Livestock Act 2008, Animal Protection Act 2018, Medicines/Poisons Acts)","Defined terms section with 20+ definitions including nested definitions (e.g., 'misconduct' defined by reference to section 28)","Conditional logic throughout (e.g., 'if satisfied that...', 'subject to subsection (3)...')","Schedules containing additional procedural rules for Board membership and meetings","Transitional provisions for people registered under old laws"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is the **Veterinarians Act 1994** (Northern Territory). It sets up a system to regulate who can work as a vet in the NT and ensures they meet professional standards.\n\n**Key things it covers:**\n\n*   **The Veterinary Board:** Establishes a Board (a government body) that oversees vets. The Board includes elected vets, government appointees, and a public representative. It handles registrations, investigates complaints, and can punish vets who do the wrong thing.\n*   **Registration:** You must be registered with the Board to legally provide veterinary services (treating animals, prescribing drugs, etc.). There are different types:\n    *   **Full registration** for qualified vets.\n    *   **Limited registration** for those with restrictions (e.g., time limits or specific types of work only).\n    *   **Interim registration** (temporary) while an application is being processed.\n    *   **Specialist registration** for vets with advanced qualifications in specific areas (like surgery or medicine).\n    *   **Primary vs. Secondary registration** depending on whether the vet mainly works in the NT or elsewhere.\n*   **Who can register:** Generally, you need proper qualifications or current registration in another Australian state/territory. The Board checks if you're a \"fit and proper person\" (meaning trustworthy and competent) and can refuse registration if you have criminal convictions, past disciplinary issues, or compensation claims against you.\n*   **Offences:** It's illegal to pretend to be a vet, provide vet services without registration, or falsely claim to be a specialist. Fines are hefty (up to 500 penalty units).\n*   **Complaints and discipline:** Anyone can complain about a vet to the Board. The Board investigates and can hold hearings. If a vet is found guilty of \"misconduct\" (improper conduct, negligence, breaking the law, or incompetence), the Board can:\n    *   Reprimand or caution them.\n    *   Fine them (up to 200 penalty units).\n    *   Suspend or cancel their registration.\n    *   Order them to pay compensation to a complainant.\n*   **Appeals:** Vets can appeal Board decisions (like refusal to register or disciplinary actions) to the Local Court.\n*   **Enforcement:** Inspectors (appointed by the Board) can enter vet premises, examine records, and ask questions to check if the law is being followed.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n*   Veterinarians working in the NT.\n*   People wanting to become vets in the NT.\n*   Animal owners who use vet services.\n*   The Veterinary Board and its staff.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis law protects animal welfare and public trust by ensuring only qualified, competent people can treat animals. It gives the public a way to complain about bad vets and ensures there's a proper process to investigate and punish misconduct. Without it, anyone could claim to be a vet, putting animals at risk."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/veterinarians-act-1994","history":"/api/acts/veterinarians-act-1994/history","analysis":"/api/acts/veterinarians-act-1994/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/veterinarians-act-1994/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/veterinarians-act-1994/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/veterinarians-act-1994/documents"}}