About the Board

The Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland (the Board) is a statutory authority established by the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936 representing the State of Queensland and being part of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for the Financial Accountability Act 2009.  It has the sole legislative responsibility for the regulation of veterinary science in Queensland.

The statute acts as a means to ensure domestic and international consumer protection and animal welfare, in the delivery of veterinary services.

This is achieved by ensuring that the providers of veterinary services are suitably qualified and registered to practise veterinary science.

The Board is responsible for the registration of veterinarians and veterinary specialists and administers the disciplinary provisions of the Act in respect of professional misconduct by registrants and the performance of prohibited practices by non-registered persons.

The standard of veterinary premises is also regulated by the Board.

Board meeting dates for 2023

• 27 January
• 10 March
• 21 April
• 26 May
• 14 July
• 25 August
• 6 October
• 17 November
• 7 December

Membership

The Board consists of a chairperson, two (2) elected members and three (3) other persons nominated by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.  Five (5) members of the Board are required to be veterinarians.  All members, other than the chairperson, are appointed for a term of not more than three years.  The nominated member who is not a veterinarian is appointed to represent consumers on the Board.

The current Board representation is:

• Chair — Senior Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
  Dr Fiona Thompson BVSc
• Deputy Chair — Nominee of Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
  Prof Margaret Reilly BVSc MVS
  School of Veterinary Science, James Cook University
• Elected Members —
  Dr Terry King, BVSc MANZCVS
• Dr Graham Lauridsen BVSc
• Nominees for the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
  Ms Eileen Thumpkin (Consumer Representative – Non Veterinarian)
• Dr Ian Gallagher BVSc MANZCVS

Officers

The Board is administered by a staff of four:

• Registrar
• Deputy Registrar
• Two Project Officers

All officers are non-veterinarian employees of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.