Policy Advisory Committee

The NZVA Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) is a subcommittee of the NZVA Board of Directors, with a delegated authority to develop, review and approve NZVA Policies and Position Statements.

The New Zealand Veterinary Association’s constitution has four key objectives:

• Member wellbeing
• Leadership and advocacy
• Education
• Standard setting

These objectives are supported through the work of the Policy Advisory Committee. This work sets out the NZVA’s science and evidence-based positioning for members and the public. In doing so, we enable education, provide leadership through this standard setting, and enhance member wellbeing by virtue of the support this work gives members.

The NZVA Veterinary Team are responsible for developing and reviewing NZVA Policies and Position Statements, supported by special interest branches (SIBs) and other external stakeholders and experts. These documents are consulted with the NZVA membership, amended appropriately and then approved by the Policy Advisory Committee.

Additional support is provided to members of the NZVA through guidelines, recommended best practice and member technical notes that contain detailed explanations of topics (eg animal welfare science) and procedures (eg disbudding goats). These are not subject to Policy Advisory Committee approval, but are reviewed periodically by the NZVA Veterinary Team and SIB committees to ensure they reflect current knowledge.