Useful links
General Law
Going to Court
Aboriginal Legal Services
Family Law
Discrimination Law
Domestic Violence
Employment Law
Law for Young People
Ombudsmen
Other Legal Services
General Law
LawAccess is a free legal telephone information service provided by NSW Legal Aid Commission.
Phone: 1300 888 529
Legal Aid provides a range of services to people who need advice, assistance and representation, and who qualify for legal aid. Free legal advice is provided at Legal Aid Offices throughout NSW
Community Legal Centres NSW is the peak body for community legal centres in NSW and can provide you with the contact details of all community legal centres in NSW.
The National Association of CLCs can provide you with the contact details of all community legal centres across Australia.
LawLink is an online government portal website to law and justice agencies and services in New South Wales.
The Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC) is an initiative of the State Library of NSW and the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW that provides free legal information for members of the community in NSW. LIAC supports the Find Legal Answers website which provides free access to current information about the law in NSW. The website lists useful resources, organised by topic, that are available on the web and in print from public libraries across NSW or in the State Library of NSW.
The Solicitor Referral Service of the Law Society of New South Wales helps members of the public find a private firm of solicitors or accredited specialists in specific areas of law.
Going to Court
This website provides information about going to the local court in NSW including location of courts, services provided, forms and fees.
The District Court of NSW is the ‘middle’ court in the State’s legal system. The Court consists of the Chief Judge and other Judges as the Governor may appoint. It is a trial Court and can hear certain appeals. The Court has both a criminal and civil jurisdiction, and the Judges preside over some tribunals.
Aboriginal Legal Services
ALS is predominantly a criminal law practice which provides advice and representation for both Indigenous adults and young people. In addition they provide services in child protection matters.
Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre
A state-wide service for Aboriginal women and children with a focus on domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual assault and other issues of violence.
Family Law
Information on the Family Court of Australia including forms, fees, court lists and information on family law
Information on divorce and copies of forms
Child Support Agency is responsible for administering Australia's Child Support Scheme, supporting separated parents to transfer payments for the benefit of their children.
Discrimination
The Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW is part of the NSW Attorney General’s Department. It administers the anti-discrimination laws of New South Wales.
Australian Human Rights Commission
The goal of the Australian Human Rights Commission is to foster greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups. They are an independent statutory organisation.
Disability Discrimination Legal Centre
The NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre was set up in 1994 to help people with disability to use disability discrimination laws. Their role is to provide accurate and easy to comprehend advice to people with disability in NSW who want to make a complaint of disability discrimination. Friends, family members or advocates who want to stop disability discrimination can also use the centre.
The HIV/AIDS Legal Centre is a community legal centre that specialises in HIV related legal matters.
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Line 1800 656 463 TTY 1800 671 442
The Domestic Violence Line is a free statewide 24 hour telephone crisis counselling and referral service. The line is staffed by trained female counsellors. They can help you even if you live in the country or a remote area. You can ring the Domestic Violence line from anywhere in NSW, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can also arrange interpreters.
Online search facility to find the details of your local police station
Police/Fire/Ambulance 000
Victims Services is part of the Attorney General's Department of NSW and consists of the Victims Compensation Tribunal and the Victims of Crime Bureau. The three bodies work together to help victims of crime in New South Wales access services and entitlements to assist in their recovery. An additional role of the Victims of Crime Bureau is to co-ordinate support to families and friends of missing people.
Provides free face-to-face counselling to victims of violent crimes that have occurred in New South Wales. Counsellors are available in most rural and regional areas in New South Wales.
Employment Law
Industrial Relations Commission NSW
The Industrial Relations Commission conciliates and arbitrates to resolve industrial disputes, sets conditions of employment and fixes wages and salaries by making industrial awards, approves enterprise agreements and decides claims of unfair dismissal.
Office of Industrial Relations
Information for employees and employers on NSW employment laws through a free telephone service, the OIR website and a range of publications
Office of Industrial Relations State Awards Service
The Office of Industrial Relations can help you to find information about pay rates and other conditions of employment that operate in NSW.
Australian Industrial Relations Commission
An independent, national tribunal dealing with employment issues including industrial dispute resolution, unfair and unlawful dismissal, awards and industrial action.
The primary objective of WorkCover Authority of NSW is to work in partnership with the NSW community to achieve safe workplaces, effective return to work and security for injured workers.
Provides information and advice about workplace rights and responsibilities under Australia’s new federal workplace relations system.
Law for Young People
Website of the National Childrens and Youth Law Centre. Includes a wide range of legal information and LawMail, a legal advice service provided for young people by email.
A free legal service for homeless and disadvantaged young people aged 25 and under.
Ombudsmen
The NSW Ombudsman has the role of investigating and reporting complaints about government departments and statutory authorities, including police, schools, universities and TAFEs. It ensures that the agencies it monitors are carrying out their functions properly, in compliance with the law and with a view to improving their services to the public.
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free and independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for small business and residential consumer in Australia with unresolved complaints about their telephone or internet services.
The Financial Ombudsman Service provides accessible, fair and independent dispute resolution for consumers and financial service providers.
EWON provides an independent way of resolving customer complaints about all electricity and gas suppliers in NSW and some water suppliers.
Other Legal Services
Provides free telephone legal advice to NSW consumers on credit, debt and banking matters. However, they cannot provide advice to businesses.
Financial Counsellors Association of NSW
Financial Counsellors will help you to assess your financial situation, provide you with information, options and choices to allow you to make informed decisions.
Financial counselling is a free community service provided by financial counsellors working in non-profit organizations that assist consumers who are experiencing financial problems. This link will help you find a financial counsellor in your area.
Online information and advice for tenants in NSW.
The Public Trustee is responsible for the making of wills, acts as executor in deceased estates, manages trusts and provides Attorney Services.
Provide advice and representation on all social security matters. They can provide assistance to people by advising them of their rights and entitlements and assisting them to appeal against Centrelink decisions which they disagree with.
Provide free mediation and conflict management service to help people resolve disputes.
The Office of Fair Trading safeguards consumer rights and advises business and traders on fair and ethical practice. Unfair practices are investigated. Consumers of everyday goods and services can obtain assistance with resolving disputes. People who are renting, building or renovating, buying or selling property or living in strata scheme property can obtain information and assistance.
Many people are scammed every year in Australia and it is often difficult to identify and track down the scammers. If you have been scammed or you think you have been scammed take the time to report it.
