Who Are We?
The following pages provide information about the Australian Government Hearing Services Program (the program).
About the program
If you are looking for information about the program, the following information should be of assistance.
Program contacts
There are several ways you can get in touch with the program. Contact details for the program can be found on this page.
History of the program
If you would like to know more about how the program has evolved into its present form, from its original introduction as a result of military returning from World War II with hearing loss, you can read about the history of the program.
Hearing Services Online project
The Hearing Services Online project supports the program's portal and website, with the aim of transitioning the program from paper-based processes for services through the program, to a primarily electronic process. You can find out more information at our Hearing Services Online project page.
Research into Hearing Health
The Australian Government, through the program, is committed to reducing the impact of hearing loss on the lives of Australians and to reducing the incidence and consequence of avoidable hearing loss in the Australian community. As well as providing access to high quality hearing services and devices, the Program supports research and prevention activities that
- contribute to the development of improved policies and service delivery, and
- enable the Department of Health to better identify the needs of the community in relation to hearing loss.
The Australian Government currently provides funding for research and development activities into hearing health, prevention and rehabilitation to be undertaken by the National Acoustic Laboratories and to various research institutions, through the Hearing Loss Prevention Program, for research into hearing loss prevention.
Deregulation and Red Tape Reduction
The Australian Government has committed to boosting productivity and cutting red tape by $1billion a year. All government agencies are being supported to review, update, simplify and remove unnecessary regulatory burden on individuals, businesses and community organisations. To learn more about the Department of Health's (the Department's) approach to cutting red tape, you can read the Red Tape Reduction factsheet.
Service Delivery Framework
The Department is currently in the process of facilitating the development of a potential Service Delivery Framework to guide the design, development and operation of service delivery in the hearing sector, with a view to ensuring the quality and consistency of services provided.