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Call to Action: Save our Australian Hearing Services, For the Sake of our Children

  • by: Anthony Carson
  • recipient: Minister for Human Services, Senator the Hon Marise Payne and the Minister for Health, The Hon Peter Dutton MP

We are deeply concerned about the recent announcement in the 2014-15 Budget regarding the potential privatisation of Australian Hearing.

The potential sale of Australian Hearing has received almost no mention in the media, yet, unlike the other organisations mentioned for sale, Australian Hearing has a profound effect on the lives of thousands of young Australians. And we don’t want to see that change.

Australian Hearing has provided services for our children that are acclaimed throughout the world. Every child diagnosed with a hearing loss has access to services that parents know will provide optimal access to speech and allow them to learn. The service provides equity of access to all Australian children – no matter where they live or their socio-economic status. And we want this to continue.
It is hard to understand how the sale of Australian Hearing will provide improved outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing children and their families.
Now is a crucial moment to tell MPs and Senators that we value the services provided by Australian Hearing.
Australian Hearing Fit 7 Week Old Child with Hearing Aids
We cannot afford to lose the following: -
  1. The provision and equity of access to free hearing devices, suited to children’s special needs, unbiased advice, with no risk of over-servicing.
  2. Provision and equity of access to hearing centres and audiologists who are experienced and skilled at dealing with the special needs of babies, small children and other disabilities.
  3. Provision of a consistent level of service which is so important for early intervention.
  4. Prioritised access to hearing services for children under the age of 3 years old as early diagnosis supports the aims of early intervention.
  5. The current level of accessibility of services in regional and remote areas of Australia.
  6. The technical ability through Australian Hearing and the National Acoustic Laboratories to provide world class hearing services.
  7. The relationships developed with early intervention and education services so that a combined and consistent approach to accessing sound, speech, and language through hearing devices is obtained.

Please listen to us, the parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and concerned citizens, when deciding about the future of Australian Hearing. 

read petition letter ▾

Dear Senator,


We are writing to you to voice our deep concern over the proposals contained within the 2014-15 Commonwealth Budget for the scoping studies into the sale of Australian Hearing which we believe will greatly affect the services delivered to Australian hearing impaired children.


17,863 Australian hearing impaired children who wear hearing aids or cochlear implants, received services from Australian Hearing last year.


The current level of service delivery by Australian Hearing and the National Acoustic Laboratories is extremely important to Australian children and their families as they deal daily with a hearing disability. We cannot afford to lose the following: -



  1. The provision and equity of access to free hearing devices, suited to children’s special needs, unbiased advice, with no risk of over-servicing.

  2. Provision and equity of access to hearing centresand audiologists who are experienced and skilled at dealing with the special needs of babies, small children and other disabilities.

  3. Provision of a consistent level of service which is so important for early intervention.

  4. Prioritised access to hearing services for children under the age of 3 years old as early diagnosis supports the aims of early intervention.

  5. The current level of accessibility of services in regional and remote areas of Australia.

  6. The technical ability through Australian Hearing and the National Acoustic Laboratories to provide world class hearing services.

  7. The relationships developed with early intervention and education services so that a combined and consistent approach to accessing sound, speech, and language through hearing devices is obtained.      


I urge you to consider these issues and discuss them with your parliamentary colleagues.


For the sake of our hearing impaired children and future generations, please do not let this great service be diminished.


The level of success of Australian children is totally reliant on the world leading services from Australian Hearing and the National Acoustic Laboratories.


Please find attached a petition signed by the thousands of people concerned about the sale of Australian Hearing and the loss of services to our children.


Please listen to us, the parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and concerned citizens, when deciding about the future of Australian Hearing. 


We would appreciate acknowledgement of receipt of our petition and forwarding of any further advice on developments regarding this issue.

Update #19 years ago
Dear Supporters, Thanks' for signing our petition. We have 122 signatures so far, but there’s still a lot more work to be done. I’ve reached out to bloggers who write about hearing loss. I am creating a facebook page dedicated to it. I have asked Wally Lewis and Troy Cassar-Daley, ambassadors for the hearing impaired in Australia, to help promote it. Together we can make a difference. If you haven't already done so, please share the petition. Kind Regards, Anthony & Sarah Carson
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