Consortium makes Australian Hearing bid

A consortium led by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children has approached the federal government with a proposal to take over Australian Hearing.

The group also includes ground-breaking biotechnology company Cochlear Limited and Macquarie University.

The government, which has been exploring future ownership options for Australian Hearing, says it will formally examine the proposal.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the services of organisations like Australian Hearing would be fully contestable under the national disability insurance scheme.

"This means that Australian Hearing will have to compete with other private providers in relation to all the services it provides to Australians with a hearing impairment," he said on Friday.

The government has yet to decide whether it will transfer Australian Hearing into non-government ownership.

There was "absolutely no intention" to change any of the existing eligibility criteria or public benefits available for Australians with a hearing loss, Senator Cormann said.