Government Responds to Hearing Inquiry with Funding Boost for More Services
The Australian Government today presented its response to the recommendations contained in the Senate report, Hear Us: Inquiry into Hearing Health in Australia.
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30 May 2011
The Australian Government today presented its response to the recommendations contained in the Senate report, Hear Us: Inquiry into Hearing Health in Australia.
The Senate report detailed the extent and implications of hearing impairment in Australia as well as the adequacy of access to hearing services.
The Government has responded to the 34 recommendations contained in the report and confirmed further support in this year’s Budget for Australians who are hearing impaired.
The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, said that the Gillard Government’s response demonstrated its firm commitment to meeting the needs of hearing-impaired Australians.
“Hearing impairment is estimated to affect one-in-six people, rising to one-in-four in 2050, making hearing health a significant issue for the Australian community,”
Mr Butler said.
“The Government recognises that hearing impairment affects people across the life course, so it’s vital we put in place a range of service responses from early childhood to late adulthood, to assist hearing impaired people to engage socially and economically in our community.
“The measures we announced in this year’s Budget address a number of the recommendations contained in the Senate report and help us fulfil these ambitions.
“I’m pleased that the Government has made additional support available for Australians with a hearing impairment, particularly young people seeking to establish an independent and productive adult life.”
The $47.7 million boost to the Hearing Services Program announced in this year’s Budget will:
- Extend the eligibility for young people to hearing aids, services and cochlear speech processors
- provide more children with access to hearing aids and cochlear speech processors
- provide more Indigenous adults and adults with complex hearing problems with access to additional hearing services and aids.
“From 1 January, young people who formerly lost access to the Hearing Services Program at 21 years of age will be able to continue to access hearing aid upgrades, replacements and maintenance or replacement of damaged or obsolete cochlear implant speech processors until their 26th birthday.
“This means they will be able to continue to access support while they finish study and establish themselves in careers with a view to maintaining self-reliance in the longer term.”
Mr Butler said the funding boost would extend benefits to more Australians with hearing impairment.
“It is expected that an extra 39,600 children and young adults, 11,500 Indigenous people and 18,400 adults with complex needs will receive hearing aids, cochlear speech processors and other services over the next four years as a result of our boost to the program.”
Parents of children with a disability, including those with a hearing impairment, will be able to access early interventions facilitating speech development through the Better Start for Children with a Disability program, which in this year’s Budget is being boosted by $146.5 million.
Other changes to improve access to hearing services include a streamlining of administrative processing to ensure people receive services in a timely fashion.
“Existing manual processing will be automated, meaning that clients and providers can access the services they need more quickly.”
More support will also be provided to teachers and schools who support students with disabilities, including the hearing impaired, with $200 million allocated to the More Support for Students with Disabilities program in this year’s Budget. Students will receive immediate, more intensified and targeted assistance.
Mr Butler said some of the Hear Us report’s 34 recommendations were directed at state and territory governments and professional bodies.
“The Australian Government encourages other states and territories and agencies to respond positively to the recommendations.
“We look forward to working cooperatively with them to ensure access to coordinated services for the individual needs of hearing-impaired Australians.”
Media contact: Virginia Kim 02 6277 7280
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