Why did we create Hearing Business Alliance?
We had no voice ... we changed that.
ANOTHER HUGELY
SUCCESSFUL SEMINAR
'Strategies
for Business Success'
The HBA Board and Executive
thank The Hon. Mark Butler, MP,
Minister for Health and Aged Care,
for officially opening our February
2024 Seminar, and for wishing us
"a fruitful and inspiring seminar" ...
which it was!
The Minister also acknowledged the significant contribution HBA Members make to the hearing health of Australians, and commended the indispensable role of small-to-medium audiology businesses which raise awareness, provide solutions, and promote overall hearing health. [Hit the image above to see the video at Viostream.]
Thank you also to our Keynote Speaker, Dr Cliff Olson, AuD and to all our other talented Guest Speakers.
We also met again with Chris Carlile and his team, and in our Q&A session, learned more about the 2024 HSP Improvements Consultation.
Delegates said: "What a well-orchestrated seminar, thoroughly insightful for small business owners ... well tailored to meet a variety of business needs so unique to our niche industry."
"The conference was worth every cent, and I look forward to seeing what HBA has to offer throughout the year. I have been telling colleagues how good it was and that they should seriously consider joining."
"Thank you ...the conference was excellent! It was so good to meet new people from all over Australia, and hear about their audiology business journeys (and to hear how they spend time outside audiology was fascinating, what an interesting bunch)."
"As I would tell everyone who wonders if they should join; my best spent money."
Our focus is to support all aspects of your business operations and includes the legislation, the ethics and the marketplace.
We represent Members to consumers, industry and professional bodies, and government.
Our Mission is to inspire and encourage small hearing care providers to reach their full business potential.
We are an inclusive organization whose Member companies are owned by independent audiologists, audiometrists and others providing hearing hcare throughout our Australian communities.
How HBA partnerships help grow Members' businesses
See the Benefits and Discounts for the latest agreements we have negotiated for our Members with AON, Vorotek, Interacoustics, Counselear, MTC Consulting, and HearSure.
We also have a renewed Memorandum of Understanding with Audiology Australia to work together in areas of mutual interest.
Don't miss our regular Members' Zoom Meetings.
As a stakeholder in the Hearing Services Program, are you aware of what is involved in the significant changes proposed in the current Improvements Consultation?
Join with our Members, and contribute to the Consultation - what improvements do you want to see?
What do you want changed?
"The value for Government in engaging with HBA is that we can connect directly through Jane MacDonald to (the then) 110 hearing Businesses that deliver the HSP all over Australia. It is much preferable for Government to deal with one person representing so many businesses, rather than trying to talk with each, and every, business owner – we just wouldn’t be able to do it. Having said that, the Seminar and conference dinner gave myself and the HSP team a chance to mingle and listen directly to the individual concerns of many HBA members. As the Assistant Secretary in the Department of Health with responsibility for the Hearing Services Program, I appreciate the important role that Jane has played in representing the interests of HBA members to Government. Jane can contact me at any time, and I do listen to any concerns that she does raise on behalf of members, as well as seeking her counsel as a considered and reasoned voice in the hearing sector. The conference was yet again another important waypoint in the ongoing relationship between the HSP team and the Hearing Business Alliance and we look forward to further engagement.”
Meeting with the Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon. Mark Butler, MP "It was an honour to represent HBA ... and to discuss the HHSA's top hearing health priorities and how we can work constructively with Government to achieve them." And to also "...relate the message to rural practice, and small independent businesses."
Representing Hearing Business Alliance Members. Jane was in Canberra the week of 13 to 17 November, 2023, chairing two days of collaborative Hearing Health Sector Alliance meetings, as well as very productive discussions at Parliament House.
Congratulations to our CEO, who was elected Chair of the Hearing Health Sector Alliance in 2023. From Jane:
“I was honored … HBA is proud to be one of eight founding HHSA members, and a current Executive member. I have represented HBA since HHSA launched in September 2019.
Thank you Tony Coles for your vision of forming the HHSA following development of the 'Roadmap for Hearing Health' and for your leadership as inaugural Chair.
The passion and drive of all HHSA members is inspiring."
The Board acknowledges all the work Jane and Stephen devote to the business challenges we encounter. Their experience, insight and advocacy are highly-valued sources of assistance, guidance and resources.
We now have a voice. A husband & wife with a small, independent audiology practice, bullied with the threat of a meritless $1 million lawsuit, their successes exposing falsehoods and unethical practises, defending their reputation, and finally getting legislators to listen - and HBA’s subsequent and continuing advocacy - brought major changes to our independent hearing care profession.
Did you know that small businesses
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" ...with less than 20 employees comprise 97% of all Australian businesses
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employ more than 43% of the workforce, and
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account for around $380 billion worth of industry value added (Source: The Treasury)
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family businesses account for 70% of all businesses in Australia and employ around half the country’s workforce"?
Of around 300 hearing care businesses in Australia, seven large chains and the former Australian Hearing control 85% of the market. Approximately 290 small, independent companies share the remaining 15%.
Around 3.6 million Australians suffer hearing loss; estimated to double by 2060. (Source: Dept of Health and Aged Care).
Some archives of the state of our industry
We acknowledge the First People and Traditional Custodians of Country. We acknowledge their continuing connection
to land, water and community throughout Australia, and pay our respects to them,
their cultures and to their elders past, present and emerging.