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This article covers information specific to working in Australia as a locum vet, and is taken from fact sheets produced by Kookaburra Veterinary Employment.

Registration as a Vet

You need to register in each State in which you want to work* (see information below about National Recognition of Registration), and you must be registered prior to your first day of work. The contact details for all the Vet Boards are listed on our website at http://www.kookaburravets.com/Australia/Ozlinks.htm on the links page. The requirements vary from State to State but basically you’ll need to fill out the forms, pay the fee, provide proof of your ID and degree certificate, and probably provide a letter of good standing from the last place you were registered with) The Fee varies a lot, contact the state boards for current pricing. Most States also have temporary registration or pro rata registration which is really handy for locums.

Most vets doing locum work register in just one State to start with until they see where they want to work, and then register as required in others. It doesn’t usually take very long in any of the States (a couple of weeks at most).

Note that in WA you have to present in person at the Board Office in Perth in order to register.

You will get a registration number, and it’s good practice to print the number with your signature when signing any forms in Practice.

*NB: There is currently National Recognition of Registration in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia – Veterinary surgeons who currently hold primary registration and reside permanently in another Australian state or territory are entitled to practise as a veterinary surgeon in these States on a part-time, casual or locum basis without having to register with the local Veterinary Board. In Northern Territory, secondary registration is now free of charge although vets intending working in the NT should still fill the paperwork out to apply for secondary registration.

Tax

Contact your accountant or the ATO for advice regarding the most tax effective way for you to work as a locum.

Casual Employee

You have to fill out a form notifying your TFN (tax file number) to each employer when you start work, and they then deduct tax from your pay. You have to fill out a Tax Return at the end of the Financial year (June 30), and you may get a tax refund.

Your employer should also pay Superannuation (a compulsory pension) for you into a Super fund, usually of their choice, although once you have a Super fund you can give the details to your next employer and request that they pay into that one as well. Super is currently 9.5% of salary.

Contractor/Self-Employed

Australian locums have historically worked self-employed, however, you have to register as a business and get an ABN – Australian Business Number. You must provide this ABN to the clinic before they can pay you as a contractor/self employed locum. The clinic then pays you in full, and you sort out your own tax. You can find more info at www.ato.gov.au You may also have to register for GST. Unless you are a registered company, for normal locum work it’s likely that the clinic should also pay superannuation for you under the Superannuation Guarantee – consult your accountant or contact the ATO for more information. However, even if you supply the clinic with an ABN and an invoice for your work, it is still possible that for both tax and superannuation purposes you should be treated as an employee. You can find more info and an online calculator to assess whether you are an employee or a contractor at www.ato.gov.au

Pay Rates

Locum rates are from $450 a day at the moment, or $35 to $80 an hour (average $55/hr) – the higher rate in busy city practices, the lower rate in country practices. If you do out of hours work you should get paid an on call allowance for having the phone for each period up to 24 hours, and then get the relevant hourly rate if you do any calls. Some clinics still pay a % of the professional fee for any out of hours calls. Quite a lot of city practices use out of hours emergency centres now so there’s no OOH duties. Minimum employment conditions are set by the Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2010 – you can find copies online by Googling the Award name.

To see 2017 Survey Results compiled by Kookaburra, visit http://www.vetsuppliersdirectory.com.au/2017-salary-survey-results/

Professional Indemnity Insurance

The Practice Insurer may cover all vets working at the practice – locums should ask the clinic to check. However, it is a good idea to have your own PI Insurance.

Providers include:

• Veterinary Defence Association 02 8355 9900 info@vetdefenceco.com
• Guild Insurance 1800 810213
• Petplan Professional 0411 265746 petplanpro@petplan.com.au

Workcover Insurance

Workcover comprises work health and safety and workers compensation laws. Work-related injuries should be covered by the compulsory insurance required for every employer.

Other Professional Registration

Radiation

Some States require vets to be licensed in order to use Radiation Equipment ie. Take xrays. It varies from State to State – ask the clinic that you are going to be working at.

• NSW epa.nsw.gov.au/radiation/licensing/licensingcriteria.htm
• Qld health.qld.gov.au/radiationhealth/healthrelated/veterinary.asp
• South Australia epa.sa.gov.au/business_and_industry/radiation/operators_of_radiation_apparatus
• Victoria www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/radiation
• Western Australia radiologicalcouncil.wa.gov.au/Pages/FAQ/Veterinarians.html

Microchipping

Some States have compulsory microchip identification of companion animal cats and dogs, and implanters are required to be licensed. You may also be required to be licensed to implant microchips in horses.

• NSW olg.nsw.gov.au/public/dogs-and-cats/information-for-professionals/vets-and-identifiers
• Queensland business.qld.gov.au/industries/service-industries-professionals/service-industries/veterinary-surgeons/microchipping/laws-implanters
• Victoria agriculture.vic.gov.au/pets/registration-legislation-and-permits/Microchipping-of-Dogs,-Cats-and-Horses/microchipping-information-for-authorised-implanters
• Western Australia – registered vets are not required to be licensed in order to implant microchips in cats and dogs, but microchipping is compulsory

Author:

Wendy Nathan
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.