Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the Close the Gap Progress and Priorities Report 2017;

(b) acknowledges that unaddressed hearing loss and impairment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities leads to poorer life outcomes and entrenches disadvantage;

(c) recognises that not enough is being done to address hearing loss and impairment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;

(d) calls on the Minister for Indigenous Affairs to support the recommendations of the Close the Gap Progress and Priorities Report 2017, which calls for new engagement with our First Peoples and the Redfern Statement, as well as a reset to the national approach to health inequality; and

(e) calls on the federal, state and territory governments to urgently address hearing loss and impairment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government is committed to supporting better outcomes for Indigenous Australians and is investing $43.4 million for ear health activities through the Indigenous Australians Health Program. A further $33.4 million is being provided specifically for ear health services in the Northern Territory under the National Partnership on Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment. In 2015-16, key outcomes from this investment included more than 42,000 patient services in 328 locations, ear surgery for 143 children, ear health training for more than 1,500 health professionals and provision of almost 1,100 pieces of ear health assessment equipment.

Question agreed to.