28 January 2015 

We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present. We acknowledge the challenge that faces Indigenous leaders and families to overcome the unacceptably high levels of ear health issues among first Australians.

Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzke-Gray can't hear but it's obvious she wants to be heard.

Impact of sale of Australian Hearing Privatisation of Australian Hearing will introduce significant risks to the programs and services received by hearing impaired and Deaf children in Australia.

Future of Deafness Forum In the coming months we face a formidable challenge in ensuring there is a national voice for the 4 million Australians who are hearing impaired, Deaf, deafblind, have an ear disorder, and the many families who stand by them.

Farm noise 163,000 Australian agricultural workers are daily exposed to noise greater than the recommended Australian Standard.

New research published People with hearing disability report poorer health related quality of life across a range of domains including elevated cardio-vascular risks, increased rates of significant cardiovascular events and an increased all-cause mortality rate among men.

Associate Professor Jim Patrick awarded Order of Australia for cochlear implant development Associate Professor Jim Patrick, Chief Scientist at Cochlear Limited, was awarded the Order of Australia for distinguished service to science through the development of the cochlear implant; to biomedical research and engineering innovation; and to education and professional associations. Jim was a member of Professor Graeme Clark’s original Cochlear Implant Research Team (1975 – 1981) at the University of Melbourne, Australia, which invented the world’s first multichannel cochlear implant. In 1981 he was a founding member of Cochlear Limited, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, and where he is currently Senior Vice-President and Chief Scientist. “Cochlear implants truly change peoples’ lives,” said Associate Professor Patrick. “They bring people with hearing loss into a world of sound that the rest of us take for granted. “Cochlear’s recipients have all the opportunities of people with normal hearing. This includes babies born with severe to profound deafness as well as adults with progressive hearing loss. “This award is in recognition of all the researchers, engineers, medical professionals and Cochlear recipients, who have helped restore hearing to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.” According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 360 million people worldwide have a disabling hearing loss. For those with severe to profound hearing loss, implantable hearing devices like cochlear implants can be an effective solution.

Order of Australia Medal winner Tony Gorringe A love for helping others has led to an Order of Australia Medal for Orange’s Tony Gorringe. Mr Gorringe was recognised for his roles in the Deaf Society of NSW and Deaf Lawn Bowls Australia. “Australia Day is a special day to get a medal, it’s an honour.” Mr Gorringe suffered virtually complete hearing loss when he contracted meningitis at the age of two, and he was educated at a boarding school for deaf boys in Sydney from five to 16. A member of the Central West Deaf Community since 1969, he later served as president of Disabled Peoples’ Western Region, joined the Disability Council of NSW and became a board member of the Deaf Society of NSW in 1990. He became the Australian team manager for the International Deaf Lawn Bowls Championships in 1993 and a president of Deaf Lawn Bowls Australia in 2008. Now 72, he remains secretary of the international federation and is about to travel to Belfast with this year’s team. “I think we’ve got a very good chance, the Australian men have won five out of the six international games,” he said. By DANIELLE CETINSKI, Central Western Daily http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/sto Lawn bowls will be a feature of the Australian Deaf Games from 9 to 16 January next year in Adelaide. More at http://www.deafsports.org.au/2016-Australian-Deaf-Games

Disability Peaks forced to close doors Ten peak organisations run by people with disability will be left with no choice but to either close their doors or reduce services, with seven organisations subject to drastic funding cuts by outgoing Minister for Social Services, Kevin Andrews. Together, the disability peak bodies represent over 90% of Australians with disability and 83% of the identified disability groups in Australia. The organisations have over 200,000 supporters, including 140 organisations, consumer groups, service providers and carer associations. “Organisations with over 200 combined years of expertise will be forced to shut their doors in three months time - leaving people who are blind, deaf, hearing impaired, people with intellectual disability, people with brain injury, people with autism and people with physical disabilities with no voice and no specialist representation”, said spokesperson Mr Matthew Wright. “This expertise cannot be replicated. Once it’s lost, it’s lost. “Our organisations have actively engaged in the Government’s workforce agenda, however this decision leaves our 200,000 constituents with a disability and their 140 supportive organisations out in the cold. “We believe that this decision, which reflects a misunderstanding of people with disability, will have significant ramifications on the ability of the Government to successfully implement reform for people with disability. “Without specific representation, people with disability will be vulnerable to adverse outcomes in these areas and more.” Consumer organisations that have been defunded or not funded to represent the specialist voice of people with disability under Department of Social Services contracts include: Australian Federation of Disability Organisations Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia Blind Citizens Australia Brain Injury Australia Deaf Australia Deafness Forum of Australia Down Syndrome Australia National Council on Intellectual Disability Physical Disability Australia Short Statured People of Australia

From the chairman of Deafness Forum A decision by the Australian Government to defund national disability advocacy organisations such as Deafness Forum of Australia will seriously inhibit the nation’s reform agenda for people with disability. This is how the Australian Council of Social Service described the government’s decision: "Defunding national community advocacy organisations decimates the voices of civil society, with highly skilled experts from the community no longer around the tables with government and business in 2015 to work on solutions to some of the country's national challenges. What happened to this Government's commitment not to gag the community? You don't get a bigger gag clause than completely defunding community advocacy." We see evidence of the problem with the government's current approach to disability in the shortcomings of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which ignores the needs of the majority of people we represent. A crucial public asset, Australian Hearing may be sold. The government must be persuaded to ensure that services to vulnerable Australians are maintained or enhanced. There are plans to wind-back television captioning regulations. The changes would remove protections that safeguard access to quality captioning services. In Australia’s community and residential aged care services there is a hidden crisis. More than 7 out of 10 older people have hearing loss, but those who care for them are seldom trained to assist with hearing care. Age and Disability Pensioners who have cochlear implants and are eligible for the Australian Government Hearing Services Program are unable to access the technology which they depend on for social inclusion, productivity, independence and quality of life. In the coming months we face a formidable challenge in ensuring there is a national voice for the 4 million Australians who are hearing impaired, Deaf, deafblind, have an ear disorder, and the many families who stand by them. David Brady Canberra

Farm deafness a growing problem BY ANDREW MILLER

There are a lot of "potentially deaf farmers" out there, a leading Sydney audiologist says.

National Acoustics Laboratories senior research engineer Warwick Williams said a survey found 51 per cent of respondents had noise exposure levels greater than the recommended Australian Standard.

"By extrapolation it can be estimated that 163,000 Australian agricultural workers are daily exposed to noise greater than the recommended Australian Standard," Mr Williams said.

"More than half of Australia's farmers are likely to suffer from premature hearing loss through occupational noise exposure, such as from agricultural machinery."

Only 18pc of farmers wore hearing protection while working with heavy machinery.

Mr Williams said many farmers did not acknowledge they had a problem until it was brought to their attention.

"It becomes their problem when the wife sticks a shotgun in their ribs and says 'You're going to get tested'," Mr Williams said.

"I want to make people aware there is a problem so we give them feedback that there is an issue here and try to manage it," Mr Williams said.

"If you are going to buy a new tractor, buy a quieter one. "Make noise reduction one of the specifications.

"Don't use a chainsaw if there are half a dozen people around you watching and you are the only one using personal protective equipment."

He said industry practices which would have a particular effect on hearing included maintenance such as welding and grinding, shearing and even feeding pigs.

Getting people to wear hearing protection is a start Mr Williams said.

From Stock & Land, http://www.stockandland.com.au/news/agriculture/general/news/farm-deafness-a-growing-problem/2720013.aspx

Save the Date!Save the Date! ATSI ASOHNS 2015

4th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear Health Workshop 4th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear Health Workshop 4th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear Health Workshop

Date: Friday, 6 March 2015 Time: 8.30am - 5.00pm Where: Australian Technology Park Sydney, NSW

For more information go to:www.asohns.consec.com.auor Tel: +61 2 6252 1200

Showcasing innovation & excellence in ear health deliveryThis ATSI ASOHNS (Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery) 2015 meeting will focus on the innovations and excellence in ear health delivery currently happening throughout Australia in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

the meeting format will include:

1. Setting the Scene of ATSI ear health and services as it stands currently.

2. Innovation in ATSI Service Delivery - looking at clinical aspects, research, case studies and innovations of ATSI ear care.

3. Panel/Hard Questions/Resolutions - an interactive panel discussion - cases or an appropriate discussion series to allow stimulating and thought-provoking interaction, aiming to achieve some resolutionsand strategies for moving forward and considering outcomes.

Our goal is to develop a nationally coordinated approachThis meeting has been an annual event for the past three years, held as a satellite workshop to the ASOHNS Annual Scientific Meetings.

The previous meetings have addressed the depravity and dichotomy of health care services provided for ear disease in ATSI communities.

Our objective for 2015 is to ensure we promote excellence in ear disease prevention among these communities.

Ultimately, we intend to develop a well-funded, nationally coordinated approach that engages all stakeholders (including the education, policy and administration sectors, in addition to the medical and allied health sectors) working in partnership with ATSI communities to design and deliver appropriate, effective multi-disciplinary programs and services.

The Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery LtdACN 002 977 102 ABN 50 002 977 102Suite 403, Level 4, 68 Alfred Street MILSONS POINT NSW 2061T +61 2 9954 5856 F: +61 2 9957 6863 E: info@asohns.org.auwww.asohns.org.au

A/Prof. Kelvin Kong FRACSConvenor &Chair, ASOHNS Indigenous Committee

Those who would beinterested in attending:

• ENT surgeons• ENT nurses• ATSI health workers• Rural /regional surgeons• Rural / regional GPs• Audiologists• Speech pathologists• Occupational therapists• Teachers• Researchers• Policy bureaucrats• Government (state and federal) representatives• Otitis Media interest

Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzke-Gray has travelled the world advocating for deaf rights and pushing for deaf children to have access to Auslan - the sign language of the Australian deaf community - from birth. Last year, she became the first Auslan user to be accepted into jury duty. Her number wasn't called from the ballot but she believes she's paved the way for other deaf Australians to fulfil their civic duty. Now Ms Levitzke-Gray can add the title of 2015 Young Australian of the Year to her already extensive resume. In accepting the award at a ceremony on Monday Parliament House, the 21-year-old thanked the deaf community for their support. Ms Levitzke-Gray is the fifth generation of her family to be born deaf and has deaf parents. She was given access to Auslan as her first language. "It's a human right for deaf children to be able to access their language," she said. Ms Levitzke-Gray dreams that all children will one day have Auslan from the day they're born and to spread the message "it is OK to be deaf". From SBS http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/01/25/women-take-all-historic-australian-year-awards

Impact on children from a sale Australian Hearing The Australian Government is currently investigating the future ownership options for Australian Hearing. If the sale proceeds, it will introduce significant risks to the programs and services received by hearing impaired and Deaf children in Australia and consequently could have a detrimental effect on the outcome for these clients. There are approximately 20,000 hearing impaired and Deaf children and young adults across Australia who receive their services at Australian Hearing’s national network of service locations. The clients range in age from birth to 26 years. A proportion have multiple disabilities. 11% are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients who may receive their services in mainstream hearing centres, or via a culturally appropriate outreach program in urban, rural and remote areas of Australia. Children diagnosed with hearing loss, particularly infants diagnosed with hearing loss through newborn hearing screening programs, are given the highest priority for service over other client groups seen at Australian Hearing. Client programs are delivered according to international best practice standards. The services incorporate the principles of Access and Equity and Social Inclusion. Current arrangements ensure the Australian Government receives the best value for money due to:

the economies of scale achieved by Australian Hearing’s purchasing power and services being delivered as a Community Service Obligation. This arrangement

ensures the paediatric program benefits from the existing infrastructure of Australian Hearing as a provider in a broader market, and payments to Australian Hearing are based on the actual cost of service delivery without any profit margin

Families appreciate that:

the program allows for a family centred response, giving families time, information and support to allow them to make an informed decision for their baby or child

the child receives an individually tailored program to meet the needs of the child and the family, and to support the child to reach their full potential

there are strong relationships between audiological services, educational services

and other support services including referrers the service is provided by highly skilled clinicians the clinical programs are research based and supported by clinical protocols the programs are solely focussed on achieving the best outcome for the child and

are not influenced by commercial practices such as sales targets or financial incentives

services are equitable and not based on the family’s ability to pay information and guidance is impartial and unbiased services are well located to minimise the need for travel

Any changes to existing arrangements introduces risks for the following reasons: 1. Expertise

There are no formal qualification in paediatric audiology and no registration system for Audiologists. Australian Hearing provides in-house training and a support network for its clinicians to ensure that services are delivered by people with appropriate skills. Given the small client population involved, there may not be interest from clinicians or the training institutions to take over this responsibility from Australian Hearing leaving high need clients without access to appropriately skilled clinicians. Also, the small number of hearing impaired and Deaf children will make it difficult for clinicians to maintain their skill level if the program is fragmented and delivered by multiple providers.

2. Service access

Clients in rural and remote areas may lose access to services due to the cost of delivering services in these locations. Clients from culturally and linguistically diverse clients may lose access to interpreters and translated materials due to the cost of providing these services.

3. Technology Technology levels may be reduced due to cost, or because the new Provider is aligned with a particular manufacturer. Technology recommendations from the child’s Audiologist may be compromised due to the introduction of commercial practices such as financial incentives for fitting particular devices.

4. Advice and guidance Advice and guidance may no longer be impartial if the new Provider is aligned with a particular educational provider or device manufacturer.

5. Clinical programs

Programs for children, particularly babies, are very time intensive. There is a risk that children and their families may not be provided with the time they need.

6. Newborn hearing screening referrals

The success of newborn hearing screening programs is dependent on strong relationships between the diagnostic hospital and Australian Hearing. This ensures timely appointments and reduces the risk of children being lost in the system. There is a higher risk of infants being lost to follow up if there are multiple providers.

Because Australian Hearing has been the sole provider of services to hearing impaired and Deaf children in Australia for almost 70 years, the private sector has not had the need to build resources to provide services in this area. Therefore it is not clear how the paediatric program might transfer from Australian Hearing to the private sector without impacting on clients and their families. Making the contract to deliver the paediatric program a condition of the sale of Australian Hearing, might appear to protect the interests of this client group, however there is no guarantee that the new owner would give the paediatric program the priority that it currently receives with the Government Provider, and the new owner may decide to withdraw at the end of the contract leaving Deaf and hearing impaired children and their families with no reliable service. Changing the service delivery arrangements to a private provider will increase the cost of the Program as a profit would need to be factored into the payment arrangements. This will have a flow on effect to the cost of providing services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as well, as hearing impaired and Deaf children who qualify for services at the NDIS pilot sites continue to receive their audiological program from Australian Hearing under the Community Service Obligations Program. Families are concerned that the services their children receive will be reduced in order to offset the cost of paying a commercial rate for the Program to be delivered by the private sector. The government’s decision on the future of Australian Hearing is not only about the financial benefit that may be realised from the sale of a Government asset. More importantly, a decision on the sale has to be considered in the context of the impact on the lives of hearing impaired and Deaf children and their families. It is essential that the needs of this client group are protected and that client outcomes are not compromised if the sale proceeds. You may download this and other fact sheets on the impacts on indigenous peoples, adults with complex needs and the future of hearing research in Australia at http://www.deafnessforum.org.au/index.php/issues/112-uncategorised/245-submissions

Absolute pitch Mozart, Bach and Beethoven are all supposed to have had it: "absolute pitch" -- the ability to identify and categorise a note without having to rely on any reference tones. People with absolute pitch perceive a note and can identify it accurately as C sharp, A or F sharp, for instance. Most other people are only able to distinguish between notes relatively. While, with a prevalence of one percent in the normal population, the remarkable ability is relatively rare, it is observed twenty percent more frequently in professional musicians. It is often suspected that this special hearing skill is a key aspect of extraordinary musical talent. In a current study involving musicians with absolute pitch, there is now evidence that, according to first author Stefan Elmer, opens up a new view on the underlying psychological and neurophysiological processes involved in absolute pitch: "Our study shows how two brain regions, namely the auditory cortex and the dorsal frontal lobe, work together for absolute pitch. In the process, we combine two essentially conflicting explanatory approaches for the phenomenon." One explanation assumes that people with absolute pitch already categorise the notes at a very early stage of sound processing. In other words, they process tones in the same way as speech sounds and assign them to particular categories, which is referred to as the categorical perception of tones. Another theory suggests that people with absolute pitch only process the notes later on and associate them with memory information. People with this gift supposedly master the subconscious allocation of the tones to memory information particularly well. More from Science Daily at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150107081703.htm

Higher social distress and lower psycho-social wellbeing People with hearing disability report poorer health related quality of life across a range of domains including elevated cardio-vascular risks (diabetes and high blood pressure), increased rates of significant cardiovascular events (e.g. stroke and heart attack) and an increased all-cause mortality rate among men. It has also been reported that members of this cohort are higher users of general practitioners, more likely to be taking prescribed medications and at a higher risk of some psychiatric disorders. Despite consistent and growing literature, it has been difficult for health practitioners to imagine how it may be that microscopic damage to the auditory process might be linked to health outcomes in some kind of causal fashion. Two major factors impede a more ready acceptance of hearing impairment as a risk to health. The first is the absence of an explanatory model that passes an informed yet common sense judgement about causal pathways in hearing and health. The second is the absence of any measured data to support the testing of any such explanatory model, with many of the above studies limited by being based on self-reported measures. A new research paper, Higher social distress and lower psycho-social wellbeing: examining the coping capacity and health of people with hearing impairment seeks to address these gaps in the research. The paper is available in the Deafness Forum Knowledge Centre at http://www.deafnessforum.org.au/index.php/component/content/article?id=252 Items in Deafness Forum communications may incorporate or summarise views, standards or recommendations of third parties or comprise material contributed by third parties. Such third party material is assembled in good faith, but does not necessarily reflect the considered views of Deafness Forum, or indicate commitment to a particular course of action. Deafness Forum makes no representation or warranty about the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any third party information.