Veterinary Industry

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. S.L. Game:

1. That in the opinion of this council a joint committee be appointed to inquire into and report on the effects of long hours, financial strain, high workload and high pressure on the poor mental health and wellbeing of veterinarians in South Australia, with particular reference to—

(a) quantifying the significant economic, social, and emotional benefits that veterinary industry brings to society and having this acknowledged by government and industry;

(b) measures that can be taken to improve veterinarian retention rates, including incentives for working in rural and regional areas;

(c) working conditions, including remuneration, unpaid hours, safe workplace culture and client conduct standards;

(d) measuring and identifying initiatives to prevent the high rates of suicide and burnout among veterinarians, particularly in regional and rural areas;

(e) the role played by veterinarians in providing care to lost, stray, and homeless animals and injured wildlife, dealing with emergency situations, and the financial burden incurred by veterinarians in these circumstances;

(f) reviewing the roles and responsibilities of veterinary nurses with a view to relieving pressure on veterinarians, as well as the training of veterinary nurses and the related workforce;

(g) regulation of veterinary practices, including compliance with psychosocial legislation for the workplace, maximum work hours and after-hours practices;

(h) strategies to improve access to veterinary care during a cost-of-living crisis, including pricing transparency, pet insurance, and other support for disadvantaged animal owners;

(i) the role of universities in preparing veterinarians for practice and the transition to the workforce; and

(j) any other related matter.

2. That, in the event of a joint committee being appointed, the Legislative Council be represented thereon by three members, of whom two shall form a quorum of council members necessary to be present at all sittings of the committee.

3. That members of the committee may participate in the proceedings by way of telephone or video conference or other electronic means and shall be deemed to be present and counted for purposes of a quorum, subject to such means of participation remaining effective and not disadvantaging any member.

4. That this council permits the joint committee to authorise the disclosure or publication, as it thinks fit, of any evidence or documents presented to the committee prior to such evidence being reported to the council.

5. That a message be sent to the House of Assembly transmitting the foregoing resolution and requesting its concurrence thereto.

(Continued from 15 May 2024.)

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (16:12): As many members would know, I have previously spoken on this issue relating to my personal experience as a veterinarian. The reason why I became a vet and the reason why veterinarians choose this occupation is that we care for the wellbeing and welfare of animals. You would certainly choose another job if you were unwilling to work hard and were motivated only by material gain.

I have personal experience with the working conditions mentioned in this motion by the Hon. Sarah Game through my 16 years working as a country veterinarian. It is a job that requires constant commitment and always being on hold waiting on a call that may come at any time, at any hour of the day or night to treat a family pet or a farmer's livestock. There are often long days of work with little rest and the need to be at the ready for days at a time, which can be incredibly draining.

There are also extremely positive experiences as well. The bond between a human and an animal is a wonderful thing to witness. It is these positive moments that keep many veterinarians going. As veterinarians, we care deeply about animal welfare. It is often distressing when encountering animals in pain, either from injury, disease or abuse, and feeling the pressure of having to treat them and relieve their pain as quickly and effectively as possible.

This pressure is often intensified when stressed pet owners, dealing with highly emotive situations, are verbally abusive or even violent towards veterinarians. This is why so many veterinarians are prone to anxiety and depression and, unfortunately, the suicide rate amongst veterinarians is three to four times that among the general population.

Around 75 per cent of these tragic cases are young people, under the age of 65. If this rate of loss of life among young people took place due to negligence, disease or road trauma, there would be widespread community commitment to action—and so there should be. This is why South Australian based initiative Sophie's Legacy was established in recognition of Dr Sophie Putland, a young veterinarian who took her own life at the age of 33, after the pressures of the job became unbearable. Sophie's parents, Garry and Kate Putland, launched the public campaign entitled We're Only Human to raise awareness of the problem and to change attitudes towards veterinarians.

I specifically pay tribute to Garry, Kate and their wider family for their strength in championing this cause for the sake of all veterinarians around our state, our nation and around the globe. A similar program in the US called Not One More Vet is also campaigning against veterinarian suicides and has now engaged over 26,000 practising veterinarians worldwide.

A New South Wales government inquiry into veterinary workforce shortages in that state resulted in 34 recommendations, with some of those recommendations focusing on addressing the problems with mental health within the profession. I do hope this parliament in its inquiry also takes note of that interstate inquiry and the recommendations of that inquiry in its deliberations.

This issue and this motion has the strong support of the Liberal opposition. There is a case to integrate mental health and self-care education into the curriculum for veterinary students to ensure that aspiring future veterinarians are equipped with the skills to deal with the challenges the job may present. These are the types of measures that may be found through such an inquiry, and the types of measures that will be needed to achieve the necessary reform in the veterinary profession. As a lead speaker on behalf of the opposition, and as a veterinarian for over a decade, we absolutely support this motion, this inquiry, and I commend it to the chamber.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:17): I rise on behalf of the Greens to support the motion of the Hon. Sarah Game and support an inquiry into the veterinary industry, driven of course by, as she stated in her speech to this motion, the need to support veterinarians in what is, I am sure, a rewarding but very challenging profession. As she said:

We associate veterinarians with compassion and love for animals, with intelligence and hard work. It is all true. What we do not hear so much is just how resilient and capable veterinarians are and yet they are topping the list for dying from suicide. Let's not keep asking veterinarians to be more resilient and manage stress better, while insisting that they work in toxic work environments so brutal that almost no-one else could stand it.

Incredibly powerful words from the honourable member, and I think a really important matter to bring before this place, so the Greens welcome the establishment of the inquiry and we will look with interest at its recommendations and work.

It is of course well known to many members of this council that some of the momentum around this issue, unfortunately, comes from tragedy and from those vets who have died by suicide—as the Hon. Nicola Centofanti noted, somewhere between three or four times more likely than the rest of the population. This is an horrific figure. It is put down to issues such as the pricing, lack of insurance, the long hours and the nature of the work. One particular case, that of Dr Sophie Putland, who died by suicide in 2021 at the age of just 33, and the work of her parents, Garry and Kate Putland, to raise these issues really is a testament to why we need to support this inquiry today and why more must be done. We cannot simply turn away from these issues.

We do need to be looking also at what compensation there is for vets who care for lost, stray or homeless animals or, indeed, injured wildlife. I deal a lot in my portfolios with animal welfare issues. I cannot but commend the work of the vets and those rescue groups and carers who attempt to pay the costs, which are not covered in any public insurance scheme but are expected by the public. People love their pets as well, and people love animals, and emotions are often very high at these extreme times when a veterinarian is needed, particularly with an acute response or euthanasia.

It will come as no surprise to members of this council that some things are above politics, and the Greens are very happy today to support a One Nation member's motion to put a really important issue on the table. We note the words of the opposition as well and can only imagine that this is beyond politics. With that, I commend the work of the member and look forward to her progressing this.

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (16:20): I rise on behalf of the government to indicate our support for the motion to establish a joint committee to investigate the mental health and wellbeing of vets. Vets play a key role in animal, human and community wellbeing by maintaining the health and welfare of our pets. They also play an important role in maintaining the productivity and growth of our livestock industries.

Everyone who has a pet or animal they love has at some point been extremely grateful for the presence and service of a vet. They are key members of our communities and deserve to work under conditions that reflect their value and support a long-term career. Last year, the government passed the Veterinary Services Act 2023, recognising the significant changes that have occurred to the profession in the last 20 years. These include changes to practice models and location, employment type, species serviced and specialties offered, and also reflect an increase in mainstream non-veterinary services.

The state government are aware of the challenges facing vets in South Australia and are happy to give our support for the establishment of this committee. We look forward to what we may learn about the impact of various stressors on the mental health and wellbeing of vets in order to better understand them and continue our support for the profession.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (16:22): Thank you to the honourable members, the Hon. Nicola Centofanti, the Hon. Mira El Dannawi and the Hon. Tammy Franks, for speaking in support of the motion to establish the veterinary inquiry. It is a real privilege to do something for all my veterinary colleagues who I have worked with. I have the utmost respect for them. They are highly intelligent, highly responsible, highly resourceful, highly compassionate people working in a very difficult environment.

There is something very concerning going on with the veterinary industry. We have highly resilient, highly capable people, yet they are taking their own lives and leaving the profession. I really hope that this inquiry starts to bust the myth that they are just very sensitive people who need to learn to build resilience or gain tools in this area. We know that they are resilient people. They have done very well at school, they have done very well at university, and they are surviving incredibly difficult work environments.

I hope that this inquiry will bring about real change to the extraordinary financial hardship, the very long hours and the incredibly high-pressure environment that these people work in. I want to acknowledge Garry and Kate Putland: I do not think there is anyone else who has done more for those suffering in the veterinary profession. With that, I conclude the debate.

Motion carried.