Welcome to Deafness Council WA
The Deafness Council W.A. Inc was established in 1974. The Council is a co-ordinating body whose role is to facilitate the work of Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals and agencies. The Council encourages relevant research and represents the needs and interests of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to decision makers.
ABOUT DCWA
In conjunction with Channel 7 the Deafness Council initiated the first live captioned news service in Australia and continue to campaign to increase closed captioning on the air and pay tv. Member John Byrne's actions to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission led to captioned new release movies being shown in major city theatres throughout Australia.
Deafness Council campaigned to convince government to introduce newborn hearing screening and to encourage this to become universal in Western Australia. State government was lobbied to improve sound systems in remote community schools to assist students, particularly aboriginal students, to overcome difficulties and further lobbying of health funds helped improve benefits for people claiming hearing aid/cochlear expenses.
Harvey Coates AO - Patron
The Deafness Council WA Inc is honoured to have as its patron, Dr Harvey Coates AO.
Harvey Coates AO MS FRC'C FRACS DABO is a Paediatric Otolaryngologist and Clinical Professor at UWA, School of Paediatrics and Child Health and University Dept of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Senior ENT Surgeon at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children.
He is Chairman of the Aboriginal Sub-committee of the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head, Neck and Surgery. Amongst his many interests are newborn hearing screening and Indigenous children's ear disease.
