Table 4.13: Industrial deafness thresholds

	Industrial deafness thresholds
NSW	For claims made on or after 19 June 2012, the threshold for lump sum compensation for permanent impairment is greater than 10% permanent impairment — s66(1), Workers Compensation Act 1987 Different arrangements apply to exempt workers
Vic	No specific level of hearing loss required to claim compensation (e.g. medical expenses) 10% hearing loss and further hearing loss required for lump sum impairment benefit — ss 61, 62, 211 and 213, Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013
Qld	Not for the first 5% — s125, Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003
WA	At least 10% noise induced  hearing loss for first claim — s109(a), Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023 Further 5% noise induced hearing loss for subsequent claim — s109(b),
SA	No specific thresholds required for hearing loss to be compensable, however, a lump sum for non-economic loss is only payable if there is a 5% or greater whole person impairment — s58(2), Return to Work Act 2014
Tas	5% binaural hearing impairment — s72A(3), Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
ACT	6% hearing loss (boilermakers deafness or similar deafness) — s64(1), Workers Compensation Act 1951
NT	Impairments must be 5% WPI or more — s70, Return to Work Act 1986
Comcare	Binaural hearing loss of less than 5% is not payable as a permanent impairment lump sum — s24(7A), Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
Seacare	No specific level of hearing loss required to claim compensation for medical expenses 10% hearing loss required for lump sum permanent impairment and non-economic loss benefit — s39(7), Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992
DVA	Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) - the Statements of Principles used for determining claims for sensorineural hearing loss requires a permanent shift to a hearing threshold level of 20 decibels (dB) or more, at 500, 1 000, 1 500, 2 000, 3 000, 4 000 or 6 000 hertz (Hz) and under s69(a) — At least 5 impairment points hearing loss. Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA) has no requirement for a minimum decibel shift to have occurred for liability to be accepted and under s24(7A) — Binaural hearing loss of less than 5% is not payable as a permanent impairment lump sum
NZ	5% binaural hearing loss — s26(1A), Accident Compensation Act 2001