Media Release

Have you heard it's Hearing Awareness Week?

18 August 2006

Minister for Human Services, The Hon. Joe Hockey MP, today urged Australians to heed the message to preserve, conserve and protect your hearing.

“Too often in everyday life people are unwittingly exposed to noise levels that can cause hearing loss,” Minister Hockey said.

“People shouldn’t imagine for a moment that it is only workplace noise that has an effect on your hearing. The ear cannot distinguish between noise produced by work activities and noise produced by leisure activities, even though leisure noise may bring a lot of pleasure."

“Everyday activities like mowing the lawn, blowing the leaves off the path, going to concerts, motor races or fireworks displays can impact on our hearing."

“If you are like me then you love listening to your music loud. But people need to remember when listening to music if you can’t hear someone speak, then it is too loud and its causing damage."

“Like sun exposure and skin damage, the amount of hearing damage is related to the intensity of the noise and the length of time you are exposed to it."

“While there may be few early signs that you are being exposed to harmful levels of noise, once you damage your hearing it won’t come back. Therefore measures that preserve and conserve hearing are vital.”

“Australian Hearing is perfectly positioned to help educate people about the potential dangers to their hearing and assist those who may already have hearing difficulties,” Minister Hockey said.

An Australian Government agency, Australian Hearing provides subsidised hearing care to most veterans and pensioner concession cardholders.

Australian Hearing centres are located in all states and territories of Australia. For more information on the nearest centre visit www.hearing.com.au or call 131 797 to make an appointment.

An industry-wide Hearing Awareness Week, run in conjunction with Deafness Forum of Australia, will be held from August 20 to 26 to raise awareness of hearing preservation and conservation.

Media Contact: Wendy Black - 0437 978 028.