Dr STONE (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration) (9:33 AM) —Hearing impairment affects about 400 of the 250,000 newborns in Australia each year, and worldwide an estimated 20,000 babies are born each year with hearing impairments. The consequences of hearing loss can include learning difficulties, impaired speech development and behavioural problems. Literacy and numeracy problems are commonplace when hearing loss is undiagnosed. In many cases, the harm caused by this hearing loss is lifelong. The cost to the individual and to society is high. We know that early screening of newborns is simple and cost-effective and that, upon diagnosis, intervention is critical to enable babies in our country to reach their fullest potential.

I applaud the state of New South Wales, which has had a universal newborn screening program for more than three years. Queensland have just announced a comprehensive universal scheme for testing the hearing of their newborns, along with some excellent protocols for treatment if a diagnosis is made. South Australia and Tasmania, likewise, have just announced their states’ intentions to introduce universal hearing testing for all newborns. You can imagine then how disgusted I am with the Victorian government, which has decided to introduce metropolitan only—and then only at a few hospitals—screening for the hearing of newborns. It is too bad if you are born at Echuca, Cohuna or in the Mallee—you will not be screened. It is too bad if you are born in outer metropolitan areas like those in the electorate of the member for Casey—you will not be screened.

I think this is absolutely appalling. Why is it that other states in Australia have universal screening? New South Wales has had screening for three years now. When Victoria began in 2003 with a very limited program just for babies in neonatal special care nurseries, they picked up 40 babies in the two years of that very specific testing. They know that there are undiagnosed babies who were in neonatal care at other places. We know that, in the few months since a few Melbourne hospitals have been offering testing to all newborns, seven babies have been diagnosed with hearing loss.

I am also concerned that the government in Victoria has introduced this very limited and discriminatory testing for babies’ hearing without adequate protocols in place for the treatment or support of parents with counselling and ongoing baby support. I am afraid that Mr Bracks has a lot to answer for. He claims that he governs for the whole of this state. I strongly suggest that he look again at this program, because all newborns need screening across Australia, particularly in rural and regional areas, and we are not getting it in Victoria.