Veterinarians Act 2005

Reprint as at 24 January 2009

Veterinarians Act 2005

Public Act2005 No 126
Date of assent21 December 2005
Commencementsee section 2
Note

Changes authorised by section 17C of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989 have been made in this reprint.

A general outline of these changes is set out in the notes at the end of this reprint, together with other explanatory material about this reprint.

This Act is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Foresty.

Contents

1 Title

2 Commencement

Part 1
Preliminary provisions

3 Purpose

4 Interpretation

5 Act binds the Crown

Part 2
Registration and practising certificates

Subpart 1—Registration

6 Entitlement to registration

7 Entitlement to registration as specialist

8 Recognition of institutions and academic qualifications

Disqualification from registration

9 Disqualification from registration

Procedure for registration

10 Application for registration

11 Consideration of application

Registration (other than limited or provisional registration)

12 Council to register applicant or decline application

Limited registration

13 Scopes of practice for limited registration

14 Application for limited registration

Provisional registration

15 Provisional registration

16 Change from provisional to full registration

Cancellation of registration

17 Cancellation of registration

18 Amendment to specialist's registration

19 Surrender of certificate of registration if registration cancelled or suspended

20 Effect of cancellation or suspension of registration

Offences relating to registration

21 Offences relating to registration

Register of veterinarians and other registered persons

22 Register of veterinarians and other registered persons

23 Alterations to register

Subpart 2—Practising certificates

24 Application for practising certificate

25 Consideration of application

26 Council to issue certificate or decline application

27 Content of certificate

28 Expiry of certificate

29 Surrender of certificate if certificate is cancelled or suspended

30 Effect of cancellation or suspension of practising certificate

Offences relating to practising certificates

31 Offences relating to practising certificates

Subpart 3—Unlawful use of title

32 Unlawful use of title of veterinarian

33 Unlawful use of title of specialist

Part 3
Disciplinary proceedings and medical and competence assessments

Subpart 1—Preliminary provisions

34 Interpretation

35 Procedure for making decisions

36 Legal assessors

37 Evidence and privilege

Subpart 2—How disciplinary process works

38 Complaints about specified person

39 Council-referred matter about specified person

Complaints assessment committee investigations

40 Investigation by complaints assessment committee

41 Power to call for information or documents

42 Compliance with requirement to provide information or document

43 Decision of complaints assessment committee

Interim suspension

44 Interim suspension pending medical assessment

45 Interim suspension pending disciplinary hearing or competence assessment

Mediation

46 Resolution of complaint by mediation

Disciplinary hearings

47 Procedure for hearing

48 Council has powers of Commission of Inquiry

49 Disciplinary hearing to be in public

50 Grounds for discipline of specified person

Subpart 3—How specified person may be disciplined

Penalties

51 Penalties

52 Non-payment of fines or costs

Decisions and orders

53 Provisions relating to decisions and orders

54 Publication

Subpart 4—Medical and competence assessments

Medical assessments

55 Medical assessments

56 Interim suspension by Council pending medical assessment

57 Consequences of medical assessment

Competence assessments

58 Competence assessments

59 Council may require specified person to make practice records available

60 Consequences of competence assessment

Part 4
Conditions of practice and appeals

Conditions of practice

61 Conditions of practice

62 When conditions effective

63 When conditions expire or removed

Appeals

64 Right of appeal

65 Notice of right of appeal

66 Actions to have effect pending determination of appeal

67 Procedure on appeal

68 Court's decision final

69 Court may refer matter back for reconsideration

70 Orders as to costs

71 Orders as to publication of names

72 Appeal on question of law

Part 5
Veterinary Council of New Zealand

73 Veterinary Council of New Zealand

74 Council is body corporate

Functions of Council

75 Functions of Council

76 Capacity and powers

77 Composition of Council

78 Further provisions as to Council and its members

Committees of Council

79 Council may appoint committees

80 Membership and chairperson of committees

81 Committees to regulate own procedure

82 Complaints assessment committees

83 Judicial committees

84 Procedure of judicial committees

Reporting by Council

85 Obligation to prepare annual report

86 Annual report

Part 6
Miscellaneous provisions

87 Protection for members of Council and others

88 Approved and prescribed matters to be notified and available for inspection

89 Gazette notices are regulations under Regulations (Disallowance) Act 1989

Evidence

90 Certificate of Council to be conclusive evidence

91 Information from institutions may be sufficient evidence of facts

92 Power of Council to supply evidence for registration overseas

Financial

93 Payment and application of charges, fees, fines, and other money

94 Crown not liable for debts of Council

References to veterinarians in other enactments

95 References to veterinarians in other enactments

Service of documents

96 Service of documents

Fees

97 Council may prescribe fees

98 Principles guiding prescribing of fees

99 Consultation with veterinarians and other registered persons on fee increases

100 Further provisions relating to fees

Regulations

101 Regulations

Amendment to Privacy Act 1993

102 Amendment to Schedule 2 of Privacy Act 1993

Repeals and revocations

103 Repeal of Veterinarians Act 1994

104 Revocations

105 Consequential amendments

Transitional provisions relating to existing veterinarians

106 People entitled to retain registration

107 Annual retention certificates issued under 1994 Act to continue in full force

Other transitional provisions

108 Existing matters and existing proceedings

109 Membership of Council

Schedule 1
Further provisions applying to Council and its members

Schedule 2
Consequential amendments to other enactments

Reprint notes