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Representation of Deaf People

What is Deaf Australia?

Deaf Australia is the national peak body that represents Deaf people in Australia. It is a true consumer organisation: its Constitution requires that its board is wholly comprised of Deaf members who are elected by Deaf members of Deaf Australia.

Deaf Australia is the Australian ordinary (voting) member of the World Federation of the Deaf, which in turn is a recognised member (class b) of the United Nations. The World Federation of the Deaf, like Deaf Australia, is a true consumer organisation.

There is no other national ‘deaf’ organisation in Australia that has a similar structure to Deaf Australia.

Why is Deaf Australia important to the Deaf community?

Deaf Australia represents people who are Deaf and who use Auslan (Australian Sign Language). It is important to understand the difference between Deaf people who use Auslan and hard of hearing (or hearing impaired) people who do not. The two groups are quite different in both their attitudes and approach to deafness and in their interests and needs.

The people represented by Deaf Australia are usually people who have been deaf since birth or early childhood. Their life experience is very different to people who are hard of hearing. For Deaf people, to be Deaf is a normal part of the human condition. Being Deaf is not something to worry about or be sad about.

The difficulties that Deaf people experience do not happen because they are deaf per se, but because of the way society treats them. Deaf people identify with the Deaf community and its unique language (Auslan) and culture. They see themselves as part of a community that is more like an ethnic community.

Although many Deaf people use hearing aids, a significant number do not and are not particularly interested in medical and technological “solutions” to their deafness. Most, for example, are not interested in receiving a cochlear implant. Rather, they seek ways to live comfortably, to be involved in and make a contribution to the community and achieve their potential as Deaf people.

Hard of hearing (or hearing impaired) people are usually people who lose their hearing later in life, after they have acquired a spoken language. They do not usually use Auslan and do not identify with the Deaf community and its culture.

For these people deafness is experienced as a loss in a way that it is not for a Deaf person. Medical and technological solutions are important to hard of hearing people – they want to be able to restore their hearing where possible and to use their residual hearing as much as possible – that is, they see themselves as hearing people who now have problems hearing.

Deaf Australia (until 2008 known as Australian Association of the Deaf) was established in 1986 by members of the Deaf community because, after many years to trying to work within organisations (e.g., the now defunct Australian Deafness Council) that represented all areas of deafness (Deaf, hard of hearing, parents and services providers) they found that their voice was not being heard by this predominantly “hearing” organisation. Deaf people wanted an organisation where they would be heard and their needs understood without having to “lobby” for their needs within the organisation itself. This is why Deaf Australia has never joined Deafness Forum, which is basically the same as its predecessor, Australian Deafness Council.

Other, non-consumer organisations

Deaf Australia recognises there are numerous organisations that provide support, advice and services to Deaf and hard of hearing people. Some organisations provide specific services or programs and others provide broader services.

It may seem that these service organisations represent the needs and views of Deaf people. However, these organisations are managed by a mixture of Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people and the Deaf view does not always prevail.

There is also an important difference between advocacy and service provision or case management. Many people confuse the roles of an advocate and a case manager. Deaf Australia is an advocacy and information organisation and is wholly controlled by Deaf people.

When service providers advocate for the needs of Deaf people, they are seen as advocating for funding or services in the interest of service provision and not necessarily in the best interests of Deaf people.

Similarly, there are other ‘deaf consumer’ organisations, which claim to represent a broader range of people including Deaf people. However, their board and staff are not necessarily Deaf or even hard of hearing and/or Deaf people are not a majority stakeholder of the organisation.

Other recognised ‘true consumer’ organisations:

Deaf Australia recognises its respective state “branches” as true consumer organisations in their state: Deaf Australia (NSW), Queensland Association of the Deaf, Deaf Australia (SA), Victorian Council of Deaf People and Western Australian Association of the Deaf.

Other relevant ‘true consumer’ groups are Better Hearing Australia branches (for hard of hearing people).

Deaf people’s right to represent themselves

Service organisations and organisations such as Deafness Forum usually allow hearing or hard of hearing people to speak on behalf of Deaf people.

Deaf Australia believes Deaf people have the capacity and the right to speak for themselves, and for this reason our representatives are always Deaf people.

Deaf Australia welcomes and values hearing people as associate (non-voting) members and expert advisors, but Deaf Australia’s representatives who speak on behalf of Deaf people are always Deaf themselves. A similar analogy would be to ask: Is it acceptable for men to speak for women or white people to speak for Indigenous people?

The importance of Deaf Australia

Deaf Australia believes that if there were only one or two large national organisations in Australia that combined service and advocacy, and no Deaf Australia, or if Deaf people were represented only by organisations that represent the needs of all people in the deafness area (Deaf, hard of hearing, parents, service providers), or all disabled people, then the rights that Deaf people have fought hard to obtain would be lost. Deaf Australia also believes that Deaf people would once again not be heard on issues of importance to them.

Consultative relationships

Deaf Australia works with other organisations in consultative relationships, in the interest of preserving the rights and interests of Australian Deaf people by providing advice and direction and by working together for systemic change. However, Deaf Australia does not recognise organisations that are not true Deaf consumer organisations as representing the views of Deaf people.

Deaf societies, interpreting services, Deaf Children Australia, Deafness Forum of Australia are among the organisations with which Deaf Australia strives to have a consultative relationship.

Deaf Australia has developed a Vision 2020 which includes outcomes that other organisations could work towards in consultation or partnership with Deaf Australia.

Deaf Australia Policies and Positions:

Deaf Australia has a number of policies and positions in the interests of Deaf people and uses these policies to advocate for access to services and other issues.

Deaf Australia would appreciate it if other organisations would adhere to the Deaf Australia’s policies and positions to help strengthen the rights of Deaf Australians.

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