Government Deaf Over Noise Damage

A government committee has ignored the hearing disability sector and will push ahead with plans to deny ACC cover to people with noise-damaged hearing below six per cent.

The result means people with sometimes-substantial damage to the area of hearing that is crucial to understanding speech in everyday environments will not get cover or support under the ACC scheme if the total loss does not reach the threshold.

The Transport and Industrial Relations Committee reported back to parliament today after hearing submissions on the Injury, Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Amendment Bill, which changes various aspects of the way ACC works.

The bill states ACC will now only cover hearing injuries where the total hearing loss is six per cent or more.

The National Foundation for the Deaf deplores the decision.

“The entire hearing disability sector – consumers, scientists, audiologists, hearing aid manufacturers – told the committee in November why the threshold was wrong,” NFD Advocacy Project Manager Chris Peters said today.

“The majority of the committee has chosen to ignore the sector and those who live with the reality of a hearing loss. “We urge all MPs who will be voting on this bill to consider the injustice of this decision that will affect at least five New Zealanders every week.

“A six per cent hearing loss does not mean a person has 94 per cent hearing.”

Mr Peters said people rejected by the ACC scheme would now have to turn to the Ministry of Health hearing aid funding schemes where funding was gridlocked and the waiting list was longer than a year.

The NFD general manager Louise Carroll has requested a meeting with the Prime Minister and the threshold will be at the top of the agenda.

ENDS

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