The arbitrary cut to ACC cover for people with less than six percent hearing loss will leave many people affected socially isolated and with a reduced ability to do their jobs.

The New Zealand Audiological Society is opposing provisions in the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Bill removing ACC cover for those with less than six percent noise-induced hearing loss because of the impact of the law change on people's lives, particularly the elderly and Māori.

"Six percent hearing loss is significant. It means a person is unable to hear clearly consonants like "s", "t", "f", "th" which are critical for speech understanding, especially in noisy environments," says Lesley Hindmarsh, President of the New Zealand Audiological Society.

"Noise damage can destroy up to 50 percent of the part of your sense of hearing specifically required to understand speech," says Mrs Hindmarsh.

"This has a profound impact on a person's ability to work and to relate to family, friends and colleagues. "Commonly people with less than six percent hearing loss cannot hear in work meetings, their work performance is affected because they fail to hear crucial information, they can experience social isolation, depression and strained relationships.

"The Government wants to cut ACC help for these people whose hearing damage occurred at work through no fault of their own," says Mrs Hindmarsh.

The proposed law change will hit:  New Zealanders working in industries such agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, construction and engineering who, through no fault of their own, are subjected to noisy and unsafe workplaces.  The elderly who have had their hearing damaged in these industries in the past through no fault of their own.  Employers, who will now be faced with the employee's right to sue for work-related hearing loss at thresholds less than "six percent".  Families of those with damaged hearing who have to live with the negative impact of hearing loss.  Māori, who are over-represented in those injured with noise-induced hearing loss and under-represented in injury-related claims.

Examples of clinical cases of people with less than six percent hearing loss are described below. The New Zealand Audiological Society has been working with ACC and others in the hearing industry to cut costs for ACC noise induced hearing loss claims.

"On behalf of New Zealanders we implore the Government to take the six percent threshold off the table and instruct the hearing sector and ACC to work together to resolve the cost pressures," says Mrs Hindmarsh. The New Zealand Audiological Society is the professional organisation representing qualified Audiologists and Audiology in New Zealand.