Many deaf children across the country are missing out on access to sign language because of a lack of funding, Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzke-Gray says.
The 21-year-old, named 2015 Young Australian of the Year on Sunday, is a advocate for deaf rights and is pushing for deaf children to have access from birth to Auslan, the sign language of the Australian deaf community.
Ms Levitzke-Gray, who has non-hearing parents and is the fifth generation of her family to be born deaf, learnt Auslan as her first language.
Speaking on Monday, Ms Levitzke-Gray said many Australian deaf children are still denied the "right to access Auslan".
"There's not sufficient funding to support services to give children Auslan as a right," she told Network Seven on Monday.
"We need to give them (parents) a lot of support to enable them to be comfortable and be able to provide full access to their deaf children through a language - our beautiful language of Australian sign language."
She said Auslan helped deaf children with self-esteem and mental health.
"Our biggest struggle is that society hasn't yet realised, recognised and accepted us an individuals," she added.
Other finalists for the award were indigenous NBA basketball player Patrick Mills, business mentor Adam Mostogl, community leader Chantal Ober, film maker Genevieve Clay-Smith, environmental activist Thomas King and engineer and social advocate Yassmin Abdel-Magied.
Young Australian of the Year for 2014 Paralympian Jacqueline Freney presented Ms Levitzke-Gray with the award at the Parliament House ceremony on Sunday.
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