National Disability Insurance Scheme
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Introduction Overview Age Remoteness State and territory Level of function Over timeÂ-
The number of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability was 2,239 in 2025 an increase from 1,421 in 2020.
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61%
of First Nations NDIS participants with a hearing impairment (1,362) report it as their primary disability.
The NDIS supports eligible Australians with a permanent disability, helping them perform everyday activities (NDIA 2021b).
The NDIS funds public hearing services for participants with confirmed hearing impairment, including hearing aids (NDIA 2021a). This may include funding towards maintenance and replacement of hearing aids, additional assistive listening devices, and interpreting services. The NDIS funds hearing supports for NDIS participants aged 26 and over who are not eligible for the Hearing Services Program (HSP). The NDIS also funds additional reasonable and necessary hearing supports for participants if they are not available through the HSP. This includes people under the age of 26. For those aged under 7, a streamlined NDIS pathway enables children who are newly diagnosed with a hearing impairment to access early intervention supports. For more information see: NDIS Hearing supports.
About the data
This section presents information on First Nations participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) who reported hearing impairment as a disability.
The data is presented as at 30 June, rather than over the financial year.
For more information on the NDIS data, see National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – Business Systems
Overview
As at 30 June 2025, there were around 60,529 First Nations people who were active participants in the NDIS. Of these:
- 3.7% (2,239 people) reported hearing impairment as a disability
- 2.3% (1,362) reported hearing impairment as their primary disability (Data Table 4.2c, Data Table 4.2a).
Of the 2,239 First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment, the top 3 primary disability groups were:
- hearing impairment (60.8%)
- intellectual disability (15.1%)
- autism (7.4%) (Figure REHABILITATION 11).
Figure REHABILITATION 11: First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability, by top 5 primary disability groups, as at 30 June 2025
Column chart shows for 60% of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing loss as a disability, that is their main disability.
| Disability | Per cent |
|---|---|
| Hearing impairment | 60.8 |
| Intellectual disability | 15.1 |
| Autism | 7.4 |
| Psychosocial disability | 2.8 |
| Cerebral palsy | 2.5 |
| Disability | Number |
|---|---|
| Hearing impairment | 1,362 |
| Intellectual disability | 337 |
| Autism | 166 |
| Psychosocial disability | 63 |
| Cerebral palsy | 56 |
Source:
AIHW analysis of NDIA data (unpublished).
Age
There were 64.8% of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability aged 15 and over, compared with 49.8% of all First Nations participants, as at 30 June 2025 (Figure REHABILITATION 12).
Figure REHABILITATION 12: First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability, by age, as at 30 June 2025
Column chart shows percentages with hearing impairment as a disability higher for 0–2 and 15+ First Nations NDIS participants compared with all participants.
| Age | NDIS participants with hearing impairment | All NDIS participants |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | 3.3 | 1.3 |
| 3–4 | 5.1 | 7.2 |
| 5–6 | 4.4 | 12.1 |
| 7–10 | 8 | 13.1 |
| 10–14 | 14.5 | 16.5 |
| 15–34 | 33.6 | 28.9 |
| 35–54 | 16.7 | 13.4 |
| 55 and over | 14.5 | 7.5 |
| Age | NDIS participants with hearing impairment | All NDIS participants |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | 73 | 804 |
| 3–4 | 115 | 4,336 |
| 5–6 | 98 | 7,323 |
| 7–10 | 179 | 7,937 |
| 10–14 | 324 | 9,968 |
| 15–34 | 752 | 17,513 |
| 35–54 | 373 | 8,089 |
| 55 and over | 325 | 4,559 |
- Hearing impairment: hearing impairment is either the primary or any non-primary disability.
Source:
AIHW analysis of NDIA data (unpublished).
Remoteness
As at 30 June 2025, around 10.5% (234) of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability lived in Very remote communities, compared with 4.8% (2,920) of all First Nations NDIS participants (Figure REHABILITATION 13).
Figure REHABILITATION 13: First Nations NDIS participants, those with hearing impairment as a disability and all NDIS participants, by remoteness, as at 30 June 2025
Column chart shows higher percentage of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability in more remote areas than all participants.
| Remoteness area | NDIS participants with hearing impairment | All NDIS participants |
|---|---|---|
| MM1 | 40.1 | 46.4 |
| MM2 | 17.7 | 15.5 |
| MM3 | 12.7 | 13.3 |
| MM4 | 5.4 | 7 |
| MM5 | 7.8 | 8.6 |
| MM6 | 5.9 | 4.4 |
| MM7 | 10.5 | 4.8 |
| Remoteness area | NDIS participants with hearing impairment | All NDIS participants |
|---|---|---|
| MM1 | 897 | 28071 |
| MM2 | 397 | 9397 |
| MM3 | 285 | 8051 |
| MM4 | 120 | 4205 |
| MM5 | 174 | 5209 |
| MM6 | 132 | 2633 |
| MM7 | 234 | 2920 |
- Hearing impairment: hearing impairment is either the primary or any non-primary disability.
- Remoteness area uses Modified Monash Model (MMM), a geographical classification that categorises different areas in Australia into seven remoteness categories: MM1=Metropolitan, MM2=Regional centres, MM3=Large rural towns, MM4=Medium rural towns, MM5=Small rural towns, MM6=Remote communities, MM7=Very remote communities.
Source:
AIHW analysis of NDIA data (unpublished).
State and territory
Of the First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability on 30 June 2025, around one third lived in Queensland (33.1%) and around another third lived in New South Wales (30.4%) (Figure REHABILITATION 14).
Figure REHABILITATION 14: First Nations NDIS participants, those with hearing impairment as a disability and all NDIS participants, by state/territory, as at 30 June 2025
Column chart shows higher percentage of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability in Qld, WA and NT than all participants.
| State | NDIS participants with hearing impairment | All NDIS participants |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 30.4 | 34 |
| Vic | 8.4 | 12.2 |
| Qld | 33.1 | 28.6 |
| SA | 5.9 | 7.1 |
| WA | 9.6 | 8.8 |
| Tas | 2 | 2.8 |
| ACT | 0.7 | 1 |
| NT | 10 | 5.6 |
| State | NDIS participants with hearing impairment | All NDIS participants |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 680 | 20,541 |
| Vic | 188 | 7,380 |
| Qld | 741 | 17,279 |
| SA | 131 | 4,280 |
| WA | 214 | 5,346 |
| Tas | 44 | 1,677 |
| ACT | 16 | 606 |
| NT | 224 | 3,381 |
- Hearing impairment: hearing impairment is either the primary or any non-primary disability.
Source:
AIHW analysis of NDIA data (unpublished).
Level of function
As at 30 June 2025, 68.0% of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a primary disability had a high level of function, compared to 35.9% across all First Nations NDIS participants (Figure REHABILITATION 15).
Figure REHABILITATION 15: First Nations NDIS participants, those with hearing impairment as a primary disability, as a secondary disability, and all NDIS participants, by level of function, as at 30 June 2025
Column chart shows higher percentage of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing loss as a disability in Qld, WA and NT than all participants.
| Participant type | High | Medium | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDIS participants with hearing impairment (primary) | 68 | 28.7 | 1.3 |
| NDIS participants with hearing impairment (secondary) | 21.6 | 40.7 | 37 |
| All NDIS participants | 35.9 | 41.4 | 18 |
- To access the NDIS, a person’s disability must substantially reduce their functional capacity to undertake one or more of the following activities: moving around, communicating, socialising, learning, or undertaking self-care or self-management tasks. Functional capacity may affect participation at home, at school, at work, or in social situations.
Source:
AIHW analysis of NDIA data (unpublished).
Over time
The number of First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability increased from 1,421 as at 30 June 2020 to 2,239 as at 30 June 2025 (Data Table 4.2a).