1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:06,439 Speaker 1: We've spoken throughout the year various times about the impact 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: of the work our animal doctors veterinarians do and the 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: pressure they're under in dealing with people dealing with animals, 4 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: the work demands, the workloads, and speaking with Gary Putland 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: about his daughter Sophie and the campaign that has been 6 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: launched in her memory after she took her life, Sophie's legacy, 7 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: the impacts of the job on her that has a 8 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: former vet who is now a politician interested in improving 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: the lifestyle, the workloads of our vets, and inquiry passing 10 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: the Upper House of State Parliament. Sarah Game, State One 11 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: Nation MP is on the line, Sarah, good morning, Good 12 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: morning Matthew. What do you hope the inquiry achieves. 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: Well, what we want is better outcomes for our vets, 14 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 2: which is ultimately going to lead to better outcomes for 15 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 2: our pets. And we all know the positive impact that 16 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,839 Speaker 2: our pets have on the mental wellbeing of our community. 17 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: I think it's really important to get across that we've 18 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 2: got a very serious problem with our vetinery industry. We've 19 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: got a cohort of compassionate, bright, resilient people who've achieved 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 2: well at school, They've achieved well at university and then 21 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: they're entering their dream profession and leaving within a few 22 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 2: years in many cases, and others that stay are deeply unhappy, 23 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 2: and in the worst case scenario, they're taking their lives 24 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: at a rate higher than any other profession. So we 25 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: need to be looking at that, and I think it's 26 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: in everyone's interest. 27 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, did it pass unanimously through the Upper House, so 28 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: surely everyone would be behind this. 29 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: Look, it's very difficult to get inquiries up at the 30 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 2: moment because you know, there's only so many inquiries and 31 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 2: committees that we can actually have members on. So it 32 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: was a real achievement to get this inquiry through. But 33 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: I'm incredibly grateful to my colleagues. It had really unanimous 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 2: support for this, and so that's a wonderful thing. Now, 35 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: what we want is to get real outcomes for these 36 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 2: people that are suffering so much. 37 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: What a BET's telling you, Sarah. 38 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: Well, haven't been a bet myself. I've got first hand experience, 39 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 2: and I certainly have a lot of colleagues that I 40 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 2: still remain in touch with, and I think what I'm 41 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: really hoping to get away from is this image that 42 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: vets somehow need to be more resilient. You know, they've 43 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: obviously got to deal with sick animals. In some cases 44 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: they need to put animals down, And there's really this 45 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 2: concept that vets need to learn how to be a 46 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: bit more resilient to cope with that work environment. In 47 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: my opinion, in the opinion of many of the vets 48 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: that I speak to, that really isn't a very accurate 49 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 2: reflection of the problem. The problem really is that we 50 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: have a group of professionals who are working incredibly long hours. 51 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 2: For a start, so the vet that you see in 52 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: the morning is off on the same vet that you'll 53 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: see in the evenings, off on the same bet. They'll 54 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: be called out in the night might be the same 55 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 2: vet that you see on the weekend. And they're also 56 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: not paid very much, so there's a misconception about cost 57 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 2: and how that cost gets eaten up. I mean, there's 58 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: no subsidy, there's no medicare that's providing a very high 59 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: level of service to their pets, and they have very 60 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 2: high overheads. So I think the financial burden of being 61 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: a vet mary and combined with that pressure and workload, 62 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 2: that's leading to an implosion in many cases of their 63 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 2: ability to maintain their mental wellbeing and the rest of 64 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: their life. 65 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's so important. And you know, I hear of 66 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: vets copying abuse from people regarding the welfare of their animals, 67 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: perhaps the cost of the treatment for their loved pets. 68 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: It must make it hard for a vet to you know, 69 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: coppying abuse or there's their staff coppying abuse in a 70 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: surgery for whatever reason that happens and just not on Obviously, 71 00:03:58,720 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: it adds to the pressure. 72 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 2: I think what would be really great to see come 73 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: out of this inquiry is a bit of an education 74 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: campaign of the public. I mean, many people in the 75 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: public wouldn't understand the very strict time pressure that vets 76 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: are under. So when you're late, for example, for an appointment, 77 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 2: many people view being on time a little bit differently 78 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: than a medical appointment. For medical appointments, people tend to 79 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 2: try and be on time or early just because they 80 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 2: know that otherwise they might not be seen. Vetnory practices 81 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 2: are a small business, and so there's more pressure to 82 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: see people whether they're late or not, and so people 83 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 2: can get into a bit of a habit of getting 84 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 2: there roughly on time, but maybe ten to fifteen minutes late. Now, 85 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: if that BET's booked up on ten to fifteen minutes 86 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 2: appointments all day, for example, that that now maybe getting 87 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 2: no lunch break. And so understanding the long work hours, 88 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: the high pressure that those bets are under, and the 89 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: fact that that vetinary hospital is housing lots of equipment. 90 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 2: They're doing surgery, they've got intoscopes, ulder sounds, X rays 91 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 2: and that costs money. So actually, many vets are earning 92 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 2: a relatively low wage of eighty two hundred thousand dollars 93 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 2: a year and they're working very long hours for that money. 94 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, So all right, now, when will the inquiry 95 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: answer by be set up, running and completed. 96 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 2: Look, I think realistically it's going to be towards the 97 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 2: end of next year that we get an outcome. Here. 98 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: We now need to advertise so that we get lots 99 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: of submissions from all the people that would like to 100 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: give their feedback into the veterinary industry. You want to 101 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 2: make sure that it's done properly and thoroughly, and so 102 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: I expect that by the start of next year it 103 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 2: would be fully up and running, and by the end 104 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,239 Speaker 2: of next year, hopefully we've got that report. 105 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: All right, we'll see where it ends up. Sarah, appreciate 106 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: your time. Thank you, Thanks very much, Sarah gain One 107 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: Nation MP and State Parliament Upper House having an inquiry 108 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: pass through the Upper House to be voted on. I 109 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 1: gather the unanimous support so it should get through the 110 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: Lower House, and the inquiry into the health of our 111 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: animal doctors our vets to be up and running as 112 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: you heard, and reporting by the end of next year.