Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am delighted to update the House on a recent visit to the new Hear and Say facility based in the electorate of Brisbane on 12 March 2015. Hear and Say was established by Dr Dimity Dornan AO in 1992 and has grown to help over 600 children, young adults and families across Australia each year. Hear and Say's overarching aim is to help deaf children to hear, listen and speak so they are able to attend regular school. This aim is assisted by a number of programs and services offered, including early intervention, audiology, auditory-verbal therapy, social skill development and parent education.

The new facility was opened in Ashgrove on 3 March this year to help accommodate this growing demand for Hear and Say programs and services. I had the opportunity to discuss a number of vital topics with Dr Dornan and her team during my visit, including the NDIS rollout, the school screening pilot, hearing loss and social outcomes, and the future of human bionics. During my visit I was pleased to see firsthand the exceptional work being undertaken and the leaps and bounds that Hear and Say will be making in coming years. I commend the incredible work being done by Dr Dornan and her dedicated team at Hear and Say in Ashgrove. I look forward to being able to update the House in the coming years, particularly as Hear and Say grows from strength to strength.