Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. News and media
  4. Celebrating the diversity of our vets on World Veterinary Day

Back to news - AWE

  • Back to news

Celebrating the diversity of our vets on World Veterinary Day

  • News
  • Animals
  • Diseases
  • Live animal exports
29 April 2023

The department is the largest public sector employer of veterinarians in Australia.

Saturday 29 April is World Veterinary Day and celebrates the work performed by veterinarians around the world. This year’s theme is promoting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in the veterinary profession.

To celebrate the diversity of our veterinarians and the valuable work they do for the department, we’ve asked Andrea Preusche, Senior Veterinary Officer, Livestock and Zoo Animals and Prue McCormack, On-Plant Vet, Export Meat North about their roles, the work they do, and what World Veterinary Day means to them.

What is your role? What does your daily work look like?         

Andrea Preusche: Currently I am a senior veterinary officer in the Livestock and Zoo animal team in the Animal Biosecurity Branch. I provide advice on, develop, manage, and implement biosecurity policy, programs and projects, including the technical market access negotiation for Australian livestock (cattle, sheep, goats) reproductive material (semen and embryos).

This requires a working understanding of animal pests and diseases affecting Australia’s animal health status and our biosecurity system. My day-to-day involves working with people (my team/the department/industry/international veterinary authorities and committees) to support the safe trade in ruminant germplasm.

Prue McCormack: As an on-plant veterinarian, my role is to enable certification of Australian meat and meat products for overseas markets. I oversee all aspects of animal welfare and perform ante-mortem inspection of livestock multiple times throughout the day. Other daily activities include monitoring food safety by verifying post-mortem inspection procedures and ensure company operations comply with relevant legislation.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Andrea Preusche: There is so much I could put here but the 2 big ones would most definitely be the people and the variety. The teams I have worked with have all been very supportive and provided me with both the training and the support needed to really develop into the role.

In my 7 years working for the department, I have been involved in numerous interesting activities such hosting international government delegations to highlight Australia's unique biosecurity status and facilitate market access (trade); acted as the chair for an international standard setting body for the safe trade in embryos; travelled on a live cattle export vessel to Israel as a government independent observer to monitor animal welfare; redeveloped a germplasm industry body who inform government on policy and market access prioritisation; developed, designed and project managed a video highlighting and promoting Australia’s animal health and biosecurity systems to aid market access with overseas international veterinary government authorities; and hosted a department exhibitor stand at the 2022 Australian Veterinary Association Annual Conference to assist in promoting Australian Government veterinary careers.

Prue McCormack: I enjoy playing an integral role in animal welfare within the livestock industry. Although abattoirs are end of life for animals, it does not mean an animal’s welfare is not paramount. While women only make up 36% of the meat industry workforce globally, I find the industry fascinating and look forward to playing a vital role in its future.

Why did you choose the department?

Andrea Preusche: I was attracted to the variety of roles offered for veterinarians, that would allow me to be part of the team protecting, supporting, developing and maintaining Australia’s animals, environment, community and economy. Of course, an added bonus being it would provide a much-needed work life balance.

Prue McCormack: With a mixed practice clinical background in a rural area, I found that the department enables me to explore other avenues of veterinary science such as public health and biosecurity. It has also provided me and my family with a better work life balance.

What does World Veterinary Day mean to you?

Andrea Preusche: Australia is facing a recognised veterinary workforce shortage through high levels of attrition and serious impacts to the mental health and wellbeing of our veterinarians. The department is one of the largest employers of veterinarians in Australia and is also having difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified veterinarians, essential for both biosecurity and international trade. World Veterinary Day for me means supporting the individuals who dedicate themselves to this profession and connecting as a specialised group to implement lasting change – my small part in this is promoting alternative career pathways outside of clinical practice, more specifically in government vetting.

Prue McCormack: At times, being a vet can be a challenging job; but it can also be incredibly rewarding. To me, World Veterinary Day celebrates the network and community that veterinarians have in this wonderful industry.

Find out more about becoming an Australian Government veterinarian. Visit our Consider a career as an Australian Government Veterinarian webpage.

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Copy link

Related

Image of a group of people sitting in a room, watching a presentation on a screen

Human Animal Spillover and Emerging Diseases Scanning (HASEDS) Group

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
06 March 2025
Image of 2 ducks, one in the foreground, one in the background

Pest profile: Duck viral enteritis

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
03 March 2025
Image of a group of people standing around a tree, with one person demonstrating how to hang a flu trap - cut off image

Australia’s focus on regional work in animal and plant health

  • Newsletter
  • Plants
03 February 2025
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 01 May 2023

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram