John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Health, Senator Nash. Noting that this week—I will speak up for those opposite—is Hearing Awareness Week, can the minister inform the Senate of the importance of this cause? Can the minister also inform the Senate what the government is doing to improve the hearing of Australians affected by hearing loss?

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

The government is a proud supporter of Hearing Awareness Week. This year's event runs from 24 to 30 August with numerous events to be held across Australia. Hearing Awareness Week is celebrated annually and is coordinated by the Deafness Forum of Australia. This year's theme is: 'How loud is too loud?' It is aimed at informing people of how much noise we are exposed to on a daily basis.

An estimated three and a half million Australians are affected by hearing loss to varying degrees, half of whom are working age. This figure is estimated to rise to one quarter of all Australians by 2050. Exposure to noise is a known cause of about one third of the cases of hearing loss, and it makes this year's theme a timely reminder towards prevention. Free information and screening sessions will be held around the country this week to build awareness of the signs and symptoms of hearing loss and the additional health implications. More information about the events being held around Australia can be found on the Hearing Awareness Week website.

While hearing loss cannot always be prevented, there are a range of treatment options available that have the potential to improve one's standard of living—in particular, hearing aids. Through the Department of Health we are providing eligible Australians with access to quality and affordable hearing services through the Hearing Services program. The Australian government will invest $424 million this year in the Hearing Services program. Since 1997 1,791,000 clients have registered with the voucher program—with 647,000 clients last year. The program aims to provide eligible Australians with access to hearing services and devices that help them to better manage their hearing loss and maximise their communication ability.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for her answer. Can the minister advise the Senate of the purpose and value of the online Hearing Services portal, which was launched by the Australian government earlier this year?

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

A key update to the Hearing Services program, which was launched earlier this year, is the Hearing Services' online portal. The portal provides clients with faster access to services, enabling them to lodge voucher applications electronically, with the potential to receive services on the same day, which significantly reduces the waiting time for services. The portal also enables hearing service providers to manage many administrative task themselves and eliminates the use of paper forms to streamline the assessment and approval process.

Between February and June this year, more than 80,000 applications were processed through the portal. That is a significant reduction in red tape for service providers and the Department of Health. One audiologist remarked to me yesterday that the processing time for application paperwork has been reduced from seven weeks to about 40 seconds, which is improving the service and making sure that people get the help they need sooner.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister also explain to the Senate what the government is doing to improve the hearing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children?

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

The government is committed to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. We acknowledge the importance that good hearing has for social, education and health outcomes. A priority for the government is to support Indigenous children to be school ready. Good health and hearing are key to this.

An example of this is the continued support to the Healthy Ears—Better Hearing, Better Listening Program to improve access to ear and hearing health services for children and youth living in rural, remote and urban locations. Through this program, a range of health professionals—such as GPs, nurses, medical specialists, speech pathologists and audiologists—support children and families to access health care in their home locations through an outreach model. In total, we are providing around $30 million over four years to primary health care services to better manage ear disease through a range of programs, including outreach health services in rural and remote areas.