Queensland Consolidated Acts Queensland Consolidated Acts(1) Subject to section 22B, where the board is of the opinion that a veterinary surgeon has been guilty of misconduct in a professional respect and considers that the misconduct is not of such a nature as to warrant its charging the veterinary surgeon therewith it may, in lieu of so charging the veterinary surgeon--
(a) order the veterinary surgeon to pay to the board by way of penalty a specified sum of money in no case exceeding 10 penalty units; or
(b) admonish or reprimand the veterinary surgeon; or
(c) adjourn the matter of dealing with the veterinary surgeon pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) for a period not exceeding 12 months.
(2) An order made pursuant to subsection (1)(a) may contain a direction that the registration of the veterinary surgeon concerned be suspended for a specified period if the veterinary surgeon fails to pay the sum of money to the board within a specified time and, if the money is not paid within that time, his or her registration as a veterinary surgeon shall be suspended accordingly.
(2A) Suspension pursuant to subsection (2) shall be in addition to and not in lieu of payment of the sum of money.
(3) Where the board adjourns a matter for a period pursuant to subsection (1)(c) it shall reconsider the matter at the end of that period and, taking into consideration the conduct, demeanour and behaviour of the veterinary surgeon concerned during that period, proceed pursuant to subsection (1)(a) or (b) or take no further action.
(4) Where the board deals with a veterinary surgeon pursuant to subsection (1) it may order the veterinary surgeon to pay to the board such costs as it thinks fit.