EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Commonwealth of Australia
Hearing Services Administration Act 1997
Hearing Services (Participants in the Voucher System) Determination 1997 (Amendment No.1 of 1997)
Reforms to delivery arrangements for government-funded hearing services under the Hearing Services Program were announced by the Commonwealth Government in the 1996-97 Budget. Among the reforms was the introduction of a voucher system for adult clients of the Program.
This Determination, made under sub-paragraph 13(1) of the Hearing Services Administration Act 1997 (the Act), makes provision for the Minister to determine the classes of persons who are eligible to participate in the voucher system, and to specify the hearing services that may be available to them under a voucher. Eligible persons are defined in section 5 of the Act.
The amendment clarifies what was seen to be an ambiguous reference to devices that were listed and ensures that the determination complies with section 13 of the Act which requires the Minister to specify the hearing services available to a participant.