SUBMISSION NUMBER 185
Although the terms of reference of the committee are broad, the
AVA makes this submission on behalf of the Veterinary Profession,
specifically dealing with the themes from the perspective of the
profession.
SUMMARY
1. The future role of higher education in Australia's society and economy:
The Australian livestock industries contribute significantly to
Australia's export industry - the gross value of livestock production
in Australia is expected to be $12.44 billion in 1996-97. For
them to remain viable, they must continue to export significant
quantities of production to high value markets. There is significant
public benefit from maintaining these industries and that level
of trade. Much is reliant on freedom from major diseases (eg foot
and mouth disease) in the national herds and flocks and on our
'clean' reputation with respect to chemical residues in food.
Breakdowns in animal health, monitoring and surveillance, apart
from reducing production, may severely affect this market access
and therefore the whole Australian economy. Veterinarians assist
in providing international market confidence.
As the world trade authority begins to dictate terms of trade
in the global market, potential non-tariff trade barriers arise
from ethical issues such as environmental exploitation and degradation,
labour exploitation and the welfare of animals. The need for increased
efficiency in product and service development and delivery, balanced
against an ethical framework, becomes essential.
Sustained efficiency must involve high levels of skills and knowledge
(products of higher education) as well as quality assurance of
both products and services.
In the agricultural sphere, the risks to Australian industry and
public health are increased by the importation of animals and
animal products. Animal health in Australia must be carefully
monitored and any outbreaks of endemic or exotic disease, or contamination,
swiftly contained. Examples include the recent anthrax outbreak
in cattle in Victoria (endemic disease), periodic outbreaks of
highly pathogenic avian influenza (exotic disease) and contamination
of export beef with chlorfluazuron (a chemical contaminant, from
feeding feedlot cattle cotton trash during the northern drought).
Monitoring and surveillance requires highly skilled individuals
with the resources and commitment to act in the public interest.
It also depends on the defendable, scientific basis to risk analysis
of importation requests and appropriate border controls. These
requirements will increase with time, as globalisation becomes
more and more of a reality.
An internationally recognised profession, responsible for such
issues, is essential for market confidence and dialogue between
trading partners.
The bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) incident in Britain
illustrates the need for transparency and knowledge for consumers
on an international basis - the loss of their markets and subsequent
mass slaughter of their bovine herds, to regain consumer confidence,
provides a salutary lesson.
Rabies may affect our wildlife, food animals and pets as well
as the human population - the identification of a closely related
bay lyssavirus in Queensland, fatal to humans, also provides a
warning against complacency.
Increased incidence of food contamination with organisms such
as pathogenic E coli and salmonella, which have caused fatalities
in the community, requires immediate response. Market quality
assurance must be accompanied by effective auditing, in the public
interest, if it is to replace independent food inspection. Rapid
diagnosis is an essential part of containment of such outbreaks
- this involves the maintenance of resources, including highly
skilled individuals, with access to ongoing education and research
facilities.
Veterinarians play an important role in education, research and
the control of zoonotic diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis,
leptospirosis, Q fever, toxoplasmosis and chlamydiosis at national,
local and individual levels. The eradication of bovine tuberculosis
has been well documented.
Animals are part of the Australian environment and culture. Native
animals are the community's heritage; farmed and harvested animals,
birds, fish and crustaceans provide food, and other by-products
for local consumption and export; animals are used in research
and teaching; domestic pets act as companions or utilities (guide
or hearing dogs, guard dogs); horses and dogs are also used for
sport and recreation.
Animal health, welfare and well-being is in the public interest
- to maintain them in the community and environment, in the interests
of public health and safety and for important economic reasons.
It is essential that adequate resources, including those for higher
education and research, be provided to address these issues.
The professions, including the veterinary profession, are based
on higher education and a commitment to serve the community in
an ethical manner.
In modern marketing terms, 'ethics' becomes part of quality assurance,
as competition and its drive for efficiency requires service to
be defined and quantified.
Quality assurance demands a continuum of education, research and
information in all aspects of service - it is dependent on higher
education extending beyond undergraduate years and responding
to the needs of service providers and the community.
The professions are part of Australian culture - their future
role depends on their ability to work with the Australian community
to service its needs. To devolve the professions and their educational
resources may prove more costly to the community in the long term
than to utilise them to their full potential.
2. Factors affecting demand for and provision of higher education:
Global competition will demand high levels of skills and knowledge
in all areas of service delivery, including the veterinary profession.
A better informed public will require even greater skills and
knowledge from service providers.
While information technology and the globalisation of education,
and to some extent, expertise, may reduce the need for duplication
of resources, the veterinary qualification is, and should remain,
one of the broadest science degree courses available.
Veterinarians are employed for example, in research and animal
production facilities, attending to animal health and welfare
of all species, in food safety and public health, in clinical
practice for production, companion and sporting animals, in Government
and industry policy and delivery, in wildlife monitoring and research,
in urban animal management planning and education, in the pharmaceutical
industry and in medical research. Professor Peter Doherty, recipient
of the Nobel prize in Medicine and Physiology and Australian of
the Year, has a primary degree in Veterinary Science.
Changes in employment opportunities will affect the demand for
higher education, which is all the more reason to maintain the
diversity of the veterinary degree, while extending the University's
role in providing continuing education and research opportunities.
Specifically, the shift away from Government services has not
reduced the need for veterinary services, but requires them to
be more responsive to industry. Animal industries are changing
as they become more competitive - there are fewer, but larger,
land holdings and there are increases in intensive animal production.
Veterinary services are not just responsive to problems, but an
integral part of management and planning.
As urban densities increase, so will problems with companion animals.
The human animal bond will be more recognised as will the value
of pets to society, as well as to the individual. Although they
may be more difficult to keep, they will have a greater material
and intrinsic value. The need for specialist services and expertise
as well as continuing education will increase, although general
practices may reach saturation.
Increases in population also place pressure on the environment
and on native animals - kangaroo blindness and chlamydia in koalas
are two examples requiring veterinary input. Population control
of kangaroos at Yarralumla (the residence of the Governor General)
and of Koalas on Kangaroo Island are further examples, as is the
humane control of pest species (eg rabbits, by calicivirus release).
Australian trained epidemiologists and pathologists are in demand
overseas. The Federation of Asian Veterinary Associations (FAVA)
are holding their biennial conference in Cairns this year, and
will participate in a scientific program featuring the expertise
of a wide range of specialist veterinarians. It will also provide
an opportunity for discussions on education in the region - Australia
is ideally placed to train overseas graduates or to assist in
the development of education internationally.
It is especially important, however, that we maintain our domestic
education, as a source of training and research into problems
that are unique to Australia, or in the public interest.
Currently, entry into veterinary science attracts some of the
top school leavers - with employment opportunities expanding,
it is important that they receive high quality education to help
realise their potential. It is also important that their education
is seen as ongoing. The undergraduate degree is full time and
usually involves a 'live-in' component as part of practical experience,
as well as extramural training during the vacations - there is
little opportunity for concurrent employment, or study in other
fields. The information explosion and need to develop non-technical
skills makes it unlikely that this situation will change in the
future.
The veterinary degree, internationally, is one of the most expensive
undergraduate courses, due to its diversity and the level of training
and facilities involved, for comparatively low numbers of students.
The veterinary profession is wholly reliant on the Universities
to provide broad based training to an acceptable community standard,
unlike the medical profession, which extends its training through
the public health system. Fewer facilities and resources will
also lead to a narrowing of focus and lowering of employment opportunities.
3. The regulatory and administrative framework for higher education:
The veterinary schools in Australia and New Zealand are inspected
on a rotational basis by the Australian Veterinary Schools Accreditation
Committee (AVSAC) which was formed originally to ensure that our
graduates would be acceptable for registration in a number of
other countries. The committee includes representation from the
AVA and from the Veterinary Boards (representing the public).
There should be greater employer and consumer involvement in advising
the schools on curriculum development.
The schools should be provided with sufficient resources to respond to recommendations from AVSAC or to curriculum advice.
The framework should be flexible enough to recognise the role
of the faculties, not just in undergraduate education, but also
in the continuing education and training of the profession, as
part of the global network. These functions may be complementary
and provide a more efficient utilisation of resources.
The courses should be designed to accommodate requirements projected
after graduation (minimum of five years), be subject to regular
review and prepared to change. The framework for post graduate
education should include a broad range of opportunities.
4. Financing Higher Education Teaching and Research Training:
While recognising the high cost of Veterinary Education, it must
also be recognised that graduate salaries are only average for
tertiary graduates.
In accepting that graduates will eventually profit from their
education, it should also be recognised that their salaries may
not reflect the cost of their training. International competition
makes large animal enterprises less profitable and places pressure
on the costs of veterinary services. New graduate veterinarians
work for longer hours per week than most other graduate disciplines,
working an average 50 hours per week for an average starting salary
of $27,000 per year.
There is a considerable 'public good' component to the provision
of veterinary services, and therefore education. Whereas industry
funding and market forces may, to a large extent, dictate employment
and remuneration levels, for the public interest to be served,
education must continue and encourage less fashionable, important
core activities.
Whereas industry funding may encourage excellence and specialisation,
only public funding will meet the needs of the broader community.
It is essential that this be recognised in the review of funding
courses such as veterinary science.
Public funding should also be available to ensure opportunities
are available to assist those with commitment, ability and limited
resources.
5. Funding of higher education research:
Public funding should be directed at research related to core
Government activities such as animal health and welfare (including
the protection and promotion of our trade), the investigation
of new and emerging diseases, the maintenance of public health
and food safety, the protection of our environment, including
the humane control of pest species and conservation of native
animals.
Research funding should recognise prior knowledge and expertise,
as well as centres of excellence. It should also recognise a training
component, where a student or trainee is involved, to gain expertise.
Animal welfare requirements and the design of the experiment are
also important, and where possible, the actual or potential value
of the research to the community should be described.