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Amendment of the Animal Remedies Regulations 1980

Cabinet has directed MAF to prepare drafting instructions to amend the Animal Remedies Regulations 1980 to repeal regulation 36 and the second schedule.

Regulation 36 made it an offence to supply or use an animal remedy that contains a prescription poison or a biochemical substance unless either:

• the use is under prescription from a registered veterinarian; or
• the poison or biochemical substance and its use are specified in the second schedule.

The regulations also made it an offence for a veterinarian to prescribe an antibiotic or hormone for the purpose of growth promotion unless the antibiotic or hormone and its use are specified in the second schedule.

Regulation 36 and the second schedule are no longer necessary to regulate the supply and use of animal remedies. The details in the second schedule are now specified, when relevant, in the conditions on the licences of all animal remedies. It is an offence to supply or use an animal remedy in a manner contrary to the conditions on the licence.

Continuation of the second schedule is hindering effective regulatory control. The schedule specifies generic substances rather than trade name products. However, to be effective, specification on use must be based on the particulars of trade name products. The second schedule cannot practically be specific for individual trade name products.

Consequently, from now on, individual licences will specify all the conditions on use of products, making the second schedule superfluous. The schedule will be repealed to avoid inconsistencies with the conditions imposed on licences.