Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon has today launched a Save Australian Hearing petition and is appealing on the local community to join his campaign.
The proposal to privatise Australian Hearing was part of the Abbott Government’s unpopular and unfair first budget.
Since 1947, Australian Hearing along with its research arm, the National Acoustic Laboratories, has provided trusted hearing health services and research for the Australian community. It provides services to young people under 26, adults with complex hearing needs, Age Pensioners, returned service personnel and Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders over 50. Age Pensioners are Australian Hearing’s largest customer group.
Why should we sell off a service that has been looking after returned servicemen and women since the Chifley Labor Government founded it in 1947?
Why should parents of deaf children face risk, uncertainty and increased costs when Australian Hearing provides an excellent, affordable service now?
What will happen to the offices at Cessnock, East Maitland, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Scone and Singleton?
There is no good reason to privatise Australian Hearing. No persuasive argument has been made.
I have been advised that legislation is required to sell off Australian Hearing. If a bill is brought before the Parliament to privatise Australian Hearing, Labor will oppose it.
We will need the support of the community to convince non-Labor MPs to reject such a bill.
With up to one in 6 Australians experiencing hearing difficulties, Labor believes we need a trusted public provider, one that looks after children and pensioners, one that takes care of people in remote areas.
Please join me in opposing the privatisation of Australian Hearing, sign here
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