Auchinvole Chris: Veterinarians Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Auchinvole Chris: Veterinarians Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
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CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National) 
: 
 I would like to join with the sentiments expressed by my colleague Dr Jackie Blue particularly in relation to workplace practices and habits. During an earlier discourse this evening by Mr Field I think it was I was asked to stick to the subject of the bill. I speak in favour of the bill particularly in respect of the significance of workplace conditions for vets. 
Veterinarians are a fine body of people and an essential part of the well-being of our agricultural industry. They are hard-working people but in fact they have not been mentioned much during the debate tonight. We have talked about dogs parakeets cockatoos a dog called Tommy chooks and the odd pussycat but what of vets—those fine people making diagnoses without the benefit of intelligent verbal response from those they are keen to help and make well? It is a bit like question time in this House where on this side we put up with ministerial mumblings and mealy-mouthed responses to questions leaving us to guess what on earth was meant by the answers. Vets are obliged to commune with their patients in silence. The training though that they engage in is prolonged and thorough and—and I am being quite serious—the demands on large animal veterinary practitioners is often severe. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Oh what’s going on! 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Well the member might not know because he might think that farming is just something that happens so that it can be taxed and so that farmers’ wealth can be distributed to that member’s friends and supporters. But in fact vets work extremely hard for their money. They undergo periods of huge stress in farming. I happen to have been a practitioner in farming myself and I know what it is like in the spring. I know what it is like when farmers are very busy. For a vet coming out of veterinary school— 
Hon Mark Burton 
: Why is your tie inside your shirt? 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: I thank the member. I am sorry to have distracted him and caused a break in his concentration but I thank him very much for pointing it out. I feel much better now. 
Young vets coming out of training and going into practice are often placed in the position of going on to farms where farmers are already under stress and having to deal with stressful situations but those vets do not have extensive training in managing the business of being vets. They are simply trained to treat the animals. So workplace conditions and support for vets in new practice are most important. I know that in parts of the country vets have a buddy system whereby new vets go out with more experienced ones. But again that is limiting the resource immediately available to farmers. 
I support this bill particularly those aspects of it that provide support for veterinarians so that we can—[ 
Interruption 
] I beg the member’s pardon. I thought he was saying something intelligent. I paused but no it did not happen. It was a hope—a false hope. 
Hon David Carter 
: It was in English. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: Yes but it was a hoax. I am sorry about that. So I support the bill particularly in those areas in which it provides better working conditions for young veterinarians going into the field so that they can do their job to the best of their ability. 
Clause 1 agreed to. 
Clause 2 agreed to. 
Bill reported with amendment. 
Report adopted.