J2025-57
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
Australian Capital Territory
Veterinary Practice Amendment
Act 2025
A2025-20
Contents
Page
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act 2
2 Commencement 2
3 Legislation amended 2
4 Legislation repealed 2
Part 2 Veterinary Practice Act 2018
5 Objects of Act
Section 6 (e) and (f) 3
Contents
Page
contents 2 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 A2025-20
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
6 Qualification for general or non-practising registration
Section 28, note 3
7 Removal of veterinary practitioner from register
Section 32 (2) (c) 3
8 Considerations before making occupational discipline orders—
suspension or cancellation of registration
Section 66 (2) (a) 3
9 Interaction with commission
Section 70 (4) (f) 4
10 Board—functions
Section 91 (1) 4
11 Annual general meeting of veterinary profession
Section 92 (2) 5
12 Consultation about appointment to board
New section 96 (4) and (5) 5
13 Declared professional bodies
Section 143 6
14 Regulation-making power
Section 147 (1), note 6
15 Section 147 (2) 6
16 Section 147 (3) 6
17 Dictionary, definition of declared professional body 6
Part 3 Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018
18 Part 3 heading 7
19 New section 8A 7
20 Notice of annual general meeting
Section 10 (1) 8
21 Dictionary, note 3 8
22 Dictionary, definitions of corresponding law, letter of professional
standing and relevant authority 8
J2025-57
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
Australian Capital Territory
Veterinary Practice Amendment
Act 2025
A2025-20
An Act to amend the Veterinary Practice Act 2018 and the Veterinary Practice
Regulation 2018, and for other purposes
The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:
Part 1 Preliminary
Section 1
page 2 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 A2025-20
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025.
2 Commencement
(1) This Act (other than the provisions mentioned in subsection (2))
commences on the 14th day after its notification day.
Note The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on
the notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).
(2) The following provisions commence on 1 May 2026:
• sections 18 and 19
• sections 21 and 22.
3 Legislation amended
This Act amends the Veterinary Practice Act 2018 and the Veterinary
Practice Regulation 2018.
4 Legislation repealed
The Veterinary Practice (Professional Bodies) Declaration 2018
(DI2018-298) is repealed.
Veterinary Practice Act 2018 Part 2
Section 5
A2025-20 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 page 3
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
Part 2 Veterinary Practice Act 2018
5 Objects of Act
Section 6 (e) and (f)
substitute
(e) consumers of veterinary services—
(i) are well informed about the competencies required of
veterinary practitioners; and
(ii) have confidence in accessing veterinary services from
veterinary practitioners;
(f) the protection of the health and welfare of people.
6 Qualification for general or non-practising registration
Section 28, note
omit
7 Removal of veterinary practitioner from register
Section 32 (2) (c)
omit
8 Considerations before making occupational discipline
orders—suspension or cancellation of registration
Section 66 (2) (a)
after
has contravened
insert
this Act or
Part 2 Veterinary Practice Act 2018
Section 9
page 4 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 A2025-20
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
9 Interaction with commission
Section 70 (4) (f)
omit
report
substitute
complaint
10 Board—functions
Section 91 (1)
substitute
(1) The board has the following functions:
(a) registering veterinary practitioners and veterinary premises;
(b) ensuring the professional development of veterinary
practitioners, including by determining requirements for
continuing professional development of veterinary practitioners;
(c) approving educational and training courses related to
professional qualifications for veterinary practitioners;
(d) developing codes of professional conduct for veterinary
practitioners;
(e) setting standards for premises;
(f) cooperating with other jurisdictions in Australia and New
Zealand to further a common and harmonious approach to the
administration of legislation relating to veterinary practitioners;
(g) giving general advice to consumers of veterinary services in
relation to the ethics and standards of professional competence
generally expected of veterinary practitioners;
(h) giving advice to the Minister in relation to any other matter
related to the administration of this Act;
Veterinary Practice Act 2018 Part 2
Section 11
A2025-20 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 page 5
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
(i) liaising with, and if the board considers it appropriate, becoming
a member of, professional organisations concerned with
veterinary science;
(j) investigating complaints against veterinary practitioners;
(k) conducting, on the board’s own initiative, investigations of
veterinary practitioners;
(l) giving information to the veterinary profession relating to
continuing education issues, developments in the field of
veterinary science and disciplinary matters;
(m) taking disciplinary action against veterinary practitioners;
(n) enforcing this Act, including taking proceedings for offences
against this Act.
11 Annual general meeting of veterinary profession
Section 92 (2)
omit
, other than a veterinary practitioner who has deemed registration
under part 4 (Recognition of veterinary practitioners from other
jurisdictions),
12 Consultation about appointment to board
New section 96 (4) and (5)
insert
(4) The Minister may declare an entity to be a professional body for
subsection (2).
(5) A declaration is a disallowable instrument.
Part 2 Veterinary Practice Act 2018
Section 13
page 6 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 A2025-20
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
13 Declared professional bodies
Section 143
omit
14 Regulation-making power
Section 147 (1), note
omit
15 Section 147 (2)
omit
16 Section 147 (3)
after
to protect
insert
animal welfare,
17 Dictionary, definition of declared professional body
omit
Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018 Part 3
Section 18
A2025-20 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 page 7
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
Part 3 Veterinary Practice
Regulation 2018
18 Part 3 heading
substitute
Part 3 Registration information and
requirements
19 New section 8A
in part 3, insert
8A Required insurance—Act, s 147 (4) (c)
(1) A registered veterinary practitioner, other than a non-practising
veterinary practitioner, must hold a third-party indemnity insurance
policy with cover that is suitable for all aspects of the practitioner’s
veterinary practice.
(2) However, subsection (1) does not apply to a registered veterinary
practitioner practising veterinary science in their capacity as a
government employee.
(3) In this section:
government employee means an officer or employee of a State, the
Territory or the Commonwealth.
Note State includes the Northern Territory (see Legislation Act, dict, pt 1).
Part 3 Veterinary Practice Regulation 2018
Section 20
page 8 Veterinary Practice Amendment Act 2025 A2025-20
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
20 Notice of annual general meeting
Section 10 (1)
omit
, other than a veterinary practitioner who has deemed registration
under the Act, part 4 (Recognition of veterinary practitioners from
other jurisdictions),
21 Dictionary, note 3
insert
• non-practising veterinary practitioner
• veterinary practice
22 Dictionary, definitions of corresponding law, letter of
professional standing and relevant authority
omit
part 3 (Registration information)
substitute
part 3 (Registration information and requirements)