2015 Pan Pacific Veterinary Conference

This presentation traces the history of VetLab from its establishment, under the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science Act 1937 to its privatisation in 1995.
The initial charter of the Institute (IMVS) was to:
- Be under the control & management of a council of six members including one pastoralist.
- Research into diseases of humans and animals.
- Provide laboratory services to the Adelaide Hospital and others.
- Liaise with the University of Adelaide.

Over the following 58 years a number of changes were made. One of the most important of these was the transfer of the Veterinary Division from the management of the IMVS Council to that of the Department of Agriculture.

The Department rationalised the structure and roles of the division, transferring ‘non-core’ activities to other departments and embarked on a strategy to make the division more self-funding. This included its ‘rebranding’ as VetLab.

As cuts to both operating and staff budgets were progressively reduced throughout Public Services, this became more difficult. It was decided that the staff and facilities would put out to tender to deliver specified services under the, now registered, “VetLab” trade-mark.