Six children who are deaf or have hearing loss led a call for smarter, simpler support for deaf and hard of hearing children when they spoke at Parliament House, Canberra for the 2025 Power of Speech event.
The boys took centre stage sharing their stories of courage, determination and success. Their powerful words inspired leaders and guests, calling for better systems that ensure every deaf child has an equal start and the chance to thrive.
Power of Speech is an annual event hosted by First Voice, a regional alliance of leading providers of listening and spoken language therapy for children who are deaf. The event brings together children, families, politicians, industry and clinicians to celebrate achievement and advocate for equal access to hearing services.
The children, aged five to 13, represented First Voice centres across Australia and New Zealand at the event on 29 October 2025.
They were Liam from Can: Do 4 Kids, Edward from Hear and Say, Oliver from The Shepherd Centre, Theo from NextSense, Oliver from TSH and Nate from The Hearing House in New Zealand.
The event heard that:
- More than 5,000 Australian children aged 0–6 live with significant hearing loss
- One in every 1,000 babies is born deaf and another two are diagnosed before they start school
- Hearing loss is the most commonly diagnosed disability at birth.
“These are confronting numbers, but with the right early support, these children can achieve language, education and social outcomes on par with their hearing peers, but only if they receive early, consistent and coordinated support,” First Voice said in a media release.
“First Voice’s goal is a coordinated, family-friendly pathway that empowers every child, wherever they live, to reach their full potential. A pathway that ensures children move seamlessly from newborn screening to hearing devices and specialist therapy without delay.”
First Voice said each boy speaking at the event had worked tirelessly to develop their listening and spoken language skills. They had learned to translate sound, often for the first time, into words, building self- confidence and connection.
“Their achievements are proof that with the right support, every child can learn to listen, speak and thrive,” it said.
This year’s theme, The Power of My Team, celebrated the teamwork behind those achievements, recognising the families, clinicians, educators and technology that helped children with hearing loss find their voices and reach their full potential.
Professor Jennie Brand-Miller AM hosted the event. A renowned nutrition scientist and cochlear implant recipient, she shared her personal hearing journey in a fireside chat with Mr Dig Howitt, CEO and president of Cochlear which sponsored this year’s event.
They discussed the life-changing impact of Australian innovation and the importance of access, education and teamwork in hearing care.
“Cochlear implants gave me back the freedom to be ‘me’ as well as my career as a university academic,” Prof Brand-Miller said.
“Seeing these young people speak so confidently warms my heart. It shows how this outstanding Australian innovation – the cochlear implant – transforms lives when paired with early, wraparound care. The oldies need them too!”
Mr Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health and the NDIS, Senator Jenny McAllister, Minister for the NDIS also delivered speeches.
Butler said: “The Power of Speech showcases the impact of early access to sound and communication. These children are living proof of what Australia’s hearing health system can achieve remarkable results when connected care and innovation work hand in hand.”
Senator McAllister said it was inspiring to hear from children who had worked so hard to find their voices. “The collaboration across government, health, families and innovation shows what is possible when we put people at the centre, not process,” she said.
First Voice co-chairs Dr Aleisha Davis, CEO of The Shepherd Centre, and Mr Chris Rehn, CEO of NextSense, also addressed the event to share the collective achievements of the First Voice network and the importance of early, equitable access to support for deaf children and their families.
Dr Davis said: “The children reminded us that hearing loss does not limit potential, but systems can. Australia leads the world in hearing care, technology and expertise. By bringing these supports together, we can give every child the fair start they deserve.”
Rehn said early intervention worked. “We know that children who access care early achieve remarkable outcomes,” he said. “The challenge now is to make those services consistent, coordinated and accessible for every family, no matter where they live.”
Ms Megan Marotti, mother of cochlear implant recipient Liam from South Australia said: “Watching Liam speak at Parliament House was one of the proudest moments of my life.
“As someone who also has a cochlear implant, I know firsthand how much access to sound can change a person’s world. To see my son stand tall, confident and speaking so clearly showed me just how powerful early support and the right technology can be. It’s a moment our family will never forget.”
Oliver, 9, from The Shepherd Centre in NSW said: “I am proud of what I’ve learned and how far I’ve come. My team helped me find my voice, and I want everyone to know that kids like me can do anything.”
His parent, Stacey, said: “We were lost when our child was diagnosed as deaf. The support we found through our early intervention team changed everything. It gave us hope and it gave our child a voice.”
Theo, 11, from NextSense, received cochlear implants when he was a baby.
“I was born profoundly deaf and got cochlear implants when I was only six months old. While other babies were chewing on toys, I was getting Bluetooth installed in my head,” he said. “So basically, I was part cyborg before I could even sit up.
“At first, the doctor’s thought the cochlear implant wouldn’t work very well for me as I had malformed cochleas. But with lots of hard work, speech therapy and occupational therapy, I could hear, understand and talk well…to the point, now I don’t know how to turn off my voice, even when I am asleep!”
For preschool Theo attended NextSense but he now attends mainstream school and loves to read and perform.
“I really want to be an actor. I love drama – on stage, not in real life – I’ve been in an episode of ABC’s TV show Good Game, Spawn Squad, and I’ve done a couple of photo shoots,” he said. “I also enjoy gaming and LEGO.
“Early intervention made all this possible. It gave me access to sound, speech, and the confidence to stand here today and tell my story. It didn’t just help me hear – it helped me be heard.
“If you’re wondering whether early support for deaf kids works, just look at me. I talk, I act, I game, I build, and I don’t have an off switch. I’m just getting started.”
