Health Ministers have now agreed that audiology will enter the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) under a “dual profession” National Board arrangement.

This means, audiology will be governed through a National Board shared with one existing NRAS profession. At this stage, the profession that audiology will join with has not yet been determined.

The Health Workforce Taskforce is currently developing a decision-making framework to guide how lower regulatory volume professions may be combined into multi-profession boards. Once finalised, this framework will be used to determine which existing Board/profession will join audiology.

Read more here

Audiology Australia has received confirmation that preliminary policy work has begun on the transition to audiology regulation under Ahpra. 

A recent news update from the Health Workforce Taskforce has confirmed several key timings: 

• Targeted consultation with key stakeholders, including Audiology Australia, in the first half of 2026. 
• Public consultation, including the opportunity for input from individual audiologists, in the second half of 2026. 
• Expected passage of amendments to the National Law in 2028.
• Full implementation, establishment of a National Board, and commencement of registration by 2030 at the earliest. 

After a long period of waiting, the process is now moving into an active phase. There is much work ahead – and we are ready.

Read more here

Audiology Australia receives confirmation that the Health Workforce Taskforce (HWT), part of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, will lead the taskforce to transition audiology into the NRAS. The HWT provides advice and recommendations to the Health Ministers’ Meeting (HMM) on priority workforce matters.

As a first step, the HWT will settle policy details and prepare legislative amendments to the national law for the inclusion of audiology. They are developing a project plan to guide this work. Once the project plan has been developed, they will provide further information on legislative and administrative detail.

Ahpra will be responsible for implementing the administrative amendments for NRAS regulation once the changes have been made.

AudA will continue to actively engage with the HWT through this stage of  policy development and consultation, advocating for key legislative inclusions and to represent members’ interests.

No further information has been provided by the HWT at this stage.

Separate, but related to the discussion, the final report of the NRAS Complexity Review – Transforming health professionals regulation in Australia: Independent Review Final Report – is released by government following the Health Ministers meeting.

The report recommends a more risk-based, outcomes-focused NRAS with clarified entry pathways for new professions, stronger Ahpra accountability on accreditation and complaints, and practical reform actions overseen by a Health Workforce Taskforce.

The health ministers agree to the following actions from the final report for implementations:

• Health Workforce Taskforce to review and revise the risk assessment method and the process for assessing professions for entry to the National Scheme by mid 2026.
• Issuing a policy direction to Ahpra to strengthen accountability for accreditation functions.
• Directing Ahpra to take immediate steps to improve complaints processes.

The Final Report proposes a tiered regulatory framework, where professions are matched to the level of regulatory intervention needed based on public-risk, workforce scale, and system need.

These professions currently sit outside NRAS and rely on professional-body certification (which is how audiology is currently regulated). This proposed change in structure has yet to be accepted with more policy work to be completed. However, the proposal has prompted early discussions about what regulatory arrangements audiology might have within the NRAS, especially as broader work to streamline elements highlighted in the report is occurring in parallel with the consideration of including Audiologists.

Read the final Transforming health professionals regulation in Australia: Independent Review Final Report

Quick background to the NRAS Complexity review

The NRAS Complexity Review began in April 2024 following the appointment of Ms Sue Dawson, former New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commissioner. The purpose of the review was to look at ways to streamline and harmonise regulatory body decision-making and improve consistency of the regulation and complaints processes across NRAS-regulated professions.

The review included two consultation papers: the first was open to the public, while the second was a targeted consultation and not open to the public. AudA participated by providing feedback to the public consultation and through Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) for the targeted consultation. We also provided direct feedback to the second paper, supporting the proposed three-tier regulatory model and outlining the unique aspects of the audiology profession given the pending Decision RIS decision.

The tiered model included Tier 1: Full Ahpra registration for high-risk professions; Tier 2: A new “Approved Professions Registration” model — providing flexible, cost-effective oversight through accrediting peak bodies; and Tier 3: Non-registered practitioners governed by a National Code of Conduct enforced by Health Complaints Entities.

The long-awaited decision, which has been broadly supported by Audiology Australia and our members, is a significant step towards strengthening the reputation of the profession.

The communique from the Health Ministers meeting notes: “Health Ministers noted the updated Audiology Decision Regulatory Impact Statement which affirmed the option of regulating the Audiology professions under the NRAS. Health Ministers agreed to amend the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, following further policy work, to regulate the Audiology profession under the NRAS structure.”

Read Audiology Australia’s full statement

Round 2 of consultation takes place from December to February 2025, centred around the second consultation paper.

The aim of this consultation is to gain feedback on critical areas including:

• The feasibility of implementation
• The profession’s fit with the NRAS criteria
• Potential unintended consequences.

Regulation of the audiometrist profession is considered out of scope for this round of consultation.

Audiology Australia invites members to provide a written response to key criteria and to attend two townhall meetings in December 2025 to inform the content of our submission. Audiology Australia also polls members about their views on regulation in our annual member survey.

Read Audiology Australia’s submission on the second consultation paper

Read the Queensland Department of Health’s Decision Regulatory Impact Statement impact analysis

Round 1 of consultation takes place from May to June 2024, centred around the initial consultation paper. Deloitte is engaged by Queensland Health to conduct the consultation process which will include consultation, development and presentation of the Decision RIS.

Options in scope for registration at this time include:

1. National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (APHRA) registration
2. Regulation of only audiologists that perform paediatric diagnostic and cochlear implant care services
3. The status quo – certification under the National Alliance of Self-Regulating – Health Professionals (NASRHP)
4. Jurisdiction based regulation.

Audiology Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide a response that considers options for the future regulation of the audiology profession, but urges caution in viewing regulatory changes as a panacea for broader systemic failures.

Read Audiology Australia’s submission on the round 1 consultation paper: summary

Read Audiology Australia’s submission on the round 1 consultation paper: full document

With the opening of round 1 of consultations, Audiology Australia invites key stakeholders (Independent Audiologists Australia and the National Alliance of Self-Regulating Health Professions) representing varied points of view to pen an article about their views on regulation.

Combined with articles from Audiology Australia’s CEO and Policy and Advocacy Manager, the articles are intended to help Audiology Australia members keep informed about our current regulatory environment and what registration means for the audiology profession.

Audiology Australia articles

The articles from Audiology Australia’s CEO and Policy and Advocacy Manager are intended to provide a good overview of both models and their benefits and disadvantages, while dispelling common myths and misconceptions and exploring impacts on audiologists’ roles, their daily work, and the profession itself.

• The Regulation Debate – What It Means For You, by CEO Leanne Emerson
• Demystifying Regulation: An Overview for Audiologists, by Policy and Advocacy Manager Eleanor Hoskins

Independent Audiology Australia article

Written by the then-president, Independent Audiologists Australia writes about the need for registration, regardless of the workplace audiologists live in.

• Ahpra Benefits ALL Audiologists: IAA Speaks, by President Dr Tegan Keogh

National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions articles

The then-chair of the National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions (NASRHP) pens several articles explaining how self-regulation works, and arguing for formal recognition of the NASRHP as the authoritative body entrusted to provide independent oversight to the self-regulating professions.

• National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions Needs Legislative Backing (NASRHP), by Chair Anita Hobson-Powell
• The Role of Self Regulation in Australia (NASRHP), by Chair Anita Hobson-Powell

Recent inquiries in South Australia (March) and Queensland (May) and key reviews currently underway including the Allied Health Scope of Practice, falling out of the Strengthening Medicare Reforms, and the Allied Health Clinical Governance review, spark renewed discussion about regulation of the profession.

The Queensland Government leads State and Territory Health Ministers to consult with the hearing health sector on developing a Decision Regulatory Impact Statement (Decision RIS) considering regulatory and non-regulatory options for the future of audiology.

Audiology Australia continues calls for collaboration, and to work together with governments and consumers to ensure these types of incidents do not continue to occur. 

Audiology Australia is made aware of internal cochlear implant programming errors under investigation at the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

AudA Board President, Dr Barbra Timmer, says the errors are concerning and the South Australian Government’s announcement that it will launch an independent external review is an important step in getting answers for the families affected.

Read Audiology Australia’s statement on the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital errors