Prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia
Interim Report
27 March 2014
© Commonwealth of Australia 2014
View the report as a single document - (PDF 18KB)
1.1 On 9 December 2013, the Senate referred the following matter to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report:
- the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and swallowing difficulties in Australia;
- the incidence of these disorders by demographic group (paediatric, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities);
- the availability and adequacy of speech pathology services provided by the Commonwealth, state and local governments across health, aged care, education, disability and correctional services;
- the provision and adequacy of private speech pathology services in Australia;
- evidence of the social and economic cost of failing to treat communication and swallowing disorders; and
- the projected demand for speech pathology services in Australia.
1.2 The reporting date for the inquiry was set by the Senate for 27 March 2014.
1.3 With this interim report, the committee seeks the revised tabling date of 26 June 2014. The committee received significantly more submissions than originally anticipated, and therefore intends to conduct additional hearings to ensure the topic receives adequate inquiry.
Recommendation 1
1.1 The committee recommends that the time for the presentation of the report of the Community Affairs References Committee on the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia be extended to 26 June 2014.
For further information, contact:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia