Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the member for Wakefield's contribution in bringing this motion before the House. I listen with interest when the good doctor, the member for Lyne, brings commentary to the House; it must always be taken in its entirety. He is a man who is of the utmost integrity.

I rise to speak on this motion because there is an image captured in my head. It was on an episode of 60 Minutes about what our wonderful doctors and nurses are doing in hearing advancement. I saw a small child, born deaf, having a hearing implant switched on for the first time and hearing its parents laughing, a parent calling its name. Previously, that world would have been blank, totally silent, but it now had voices, and noises like people's feet shuffling and, outside, birds singing, leaves rustling. All that would normally have been blank for a deaf child. Having that implant switched on for the first time is momentous not only for the child but also for the parents: imagine the life-changing environment it provides for a parent.

I was fortunate enough, when growing up, to have a great little mate—to this day I still refer to him as a brother—who was not completely deaf but, by crikey, he was on the way, and as a result we all learnt sign language. My sign language is not that good, but I can do the alphabet and I have enough pace about me to swear a couple of words back at him! But they are skills you never forget. I was probably 13 when I stopped signing, but I could still do it. When I am at a function or somewhere and there are people who are signing, although they are very quick I can pick up the gist of what they are saying.

I think it is important that we acknowledge that it is hearing week. It does normally fly under the radar. I acknowledge that Hearing Awareness Week runs from 23 to 29 August. There will be promotional stuff all around the country during the month of August. Australians have world-class hearing services, including those which have been delivered through Australian Hearing since it was established back in 1947. You can image the diggers returning from both world wars with their hearing gone after the bomb blasts. That is a side effect of the terrible wars. The last thing they probably heard was an all-deafening, mighty explosion.

Hearing loss currently affects one in six Australians and is predicted to affect one in four Australians by 2015. Why would it affect one in six? If I just did a straw poll of my colleagues here in this House, that number would appear to be accurate. There are advancements in technology happening in this space at the moment. Years ago hearing aids were clumsy, large, obstructive and visually ugly. Now there are members of this House who quite adequately hear and communicate and operate effectively with each other as a result of the advancements in hearing aids. In this chamber as we speak there are people utilising hearing aids—and if they are not, they should be.

I say to members and my mum who currently use a hearing aid: keep using it, stay involved in your community and stay active. We should praise and bless those magnificent people who have contributed such life-changing devices to the Australian public. I praise those people involved in the sector.

Debate adjourned.

See this speech in context