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
• 2 June
• 14 July
• 25 August
• 6 October
• 17 November
• 7 December

Membership

The Board consists of:

• chairperson
• 2 elected members
• 3 other persons nominated by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.

Five members of the Board are required to be veterinarians.

All members, other than the chairperson, are appointed for a term of not more than 3 years.

The nominated member who is not a veterinarian is appointed to represent consumers on the Board.

The current Board representation is:

Chair

Dr Fiona Thompson BVSc

Senior Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Deputy chair

Prof Margaret Reilly BVSc MVS

Nominee of Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries

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 4 staff:

• Registrar
• Deputy Registrar
• 2 project officers.

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

Complaints and compliments

You can provide feedback about our agency through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.