Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

The government is committed to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and we acknowledge the importance that good hearing has for social, education and health outcomes. Ensuring children are healthy and school ready is a core priority for this government. We recognise the importance of hearing in assisting children to be both ready to go to school and able to learn, to get the best outcome from their education experience. This is an important area for this government. To close the gap on Indigenous health outcomes this needs to be a priority across governments and requires bipartisanship. This is too important an issue to be developing policy on the run. We will continue to work with our colleagues in the states and territories and the opposition to progress action to improve ear health services for Indigenous Australians as a priority. Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to be healthy, including good hearing, is a key priority to improve short- and long-term outcomes for Indigenous children, families and communities. I indicate that we will not be supporting the motion.