Support Services

The Australian Government Attorney-General's Department serves the people of Australia by providing essential expert support to the Government in the maintenance and improvement of Australia's system of law and justice and its national security and emergency management systems.

Family Relationships Online provides all families (whether together or separated) with access to information about family relationship issues, ranging from building better relationships to dispute resolution. It also allows families to find out about a range of services that can assist them to manage relationship issues, including agreeing on appropriate arrangements for children after parents separate.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman assists the Australian community by resolving complaints and fostering good government administration and is also the Defence Force Ombudsman, the Immigration Ombudsman, the Law Enforcement Ombudsman, the Postal Industry Ombudsman and the Taxation Ombudsman.

The Insurance Ombudsman Service assists in resolving disputes between consumers and participating companies.

You can make complaints about the actions or decisions of State or Territory governments by contacting your State or Territory Government Ombudsman or equivalent office holder in your State or Territory.

You can also make complaints to one of the industry-sponsored ombudsman schemes which handle complaints for services such as: banking, employment, public utilities like electricity and water, health insurance, public transport, superannuation, and telecommunications.

In some cases, it may be more appropriate for your complaint to be investigated by the Privacy Commissioner who investigates complaints about breaches of privacy; the Australian Human Rights Commission which investigates complaints about discrimination because of race, sex or disability; or one of the other avenues of Australian government administrative review. Review bodies include the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, the Veterans' Review Board, the Immigration Review Tribunal and the Refugee Review Tribunal. Each of these agencies can review the merits of an agency's decision, and they also have the power to change a decision.

Links to list of the Australian Government departments and Agencies.

Links to the Ombudsman in various countries around the world.

Links to the Attorney-General's Department, which provides a summary of the Australian legal system as well as links to detailed information about Commonwealth law.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman is an independent officer of the Parliament appointed by Governor-General to ensure that administrative action by Australian Government agencies is fair and accountable. The office contributes to improved administration by recommending changes in work practices, procedures and administrative arrangements arising from the examination of complaints or as a result of own motion investigations of systemic issues. The Commonwealth Ombudsman is an important link in the accountability chain from the public sector to the Parliament.

Links to Regional Ombudsman and Ombudsman Associations and institutes.

The Australian Financial Security Authority, (AFSA) is the Commonwealth government agency administering and regulating Australia's personal insolvency system. AFSA provide improved and equitable financial outcomes for consumers, business and the community through application of bankruptcy and personal property securities laws, regulation of personal insolvency practitioners, and trustee services.

IP Australia is the Australian Government organisation responsible for the registration of patents, trade marks, industrial designs and plant breeders rights. This site contains information about how to protect and gain maximum benefit from your intellecutal property. The IP Australia website provides information, online services and search facilities, as well as resources and links.

Australian Securities & Investment Commission. Government body set up to monitor, regulate and enforce corporate governance issues and compliance with corporations law. Very useful site for researching companies and current legal issues affecting companies.

Australasian Legal Information Institute. Provides free access to legal material. Contains cases, verdicts, legislation and subject-specific collections.

13 3220

1300 558 181

1800 019 319

(08) 8204 9777

1300 654 499

(02) 6207 0400

1300 658 030

1 Narra Centre
Ground Floor
Cnr London Circuit & Constitution Avenue
CANBERRA CITY ACT 2601
Ph: (02) 6207 0028

Lang Centre
Cnr Hunter and Marsden Streets
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124
Ph: (02) 9689 6200

Office of State Revenue
Level G2, 200 Mary Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000
Ph: 1300 300 118

Stamp Duties Office
Administration Building
200 Victoria Square
EAST ADELAIDE SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8226 3750

Stamp Duties Office
80 Elizabeth Street
HOBART TAS 7000
Ph: (03) 6233 3722

Office of State Revenue
505 Little Collins Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
Ph: 13 2161

State Revenue Department
Mount Newman House
200 St George's Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
Ph: (08) 9262 1100

Commissioner of Taxes
GPO Box 1974
DARWIN NT 0801
Ph: (08) 8999 7949

(07) 3406 7737 (Brisbane)

The Legal Services Commissioner is the sole body authorised under the Legal Profession Act 2007 to receive and deal with complaints about lawyers, law practice employees and unlawful operators.

PO Box 10310 Adelaide St
Brisbane
4000

General Guidence - Complaints about Lawyers

1800 001 170 (free call nationally)

The Legal Profession Act 1993 established the office of Legal Ombudsman to protect the public interest and to bring to the legal complaints handling process a community perspective. The Legal Ombudsman may not be a lawyer.

03 9679 8001

The Legal Sevices Commissioner is an independent statutory appointee with the specific duty to oversee and investigate complaints about members of the legal profession in Victoria.

(02) 6247 0300

For complaints about both solicitors and barristers in the ACT.

(08) 8981 5104

The Legal Practitioners Act (NT) provides for the Law Society to be the first tier of a three tiered system of regulation of the legal profession comprising the Law Society, the Legal Practitioners’ Complaints Committee and the Supreme Court. The Society will investigate all complaints and refer the serious matters to the Legal Practitioners’ Complaints Committee.

Chief Executive Oficer

Law Society Northern Territory

GPO Box 2388
Darwin NT
0801

(08) 9461 2299

Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee An independent office that investigates complaints about the conduct of legal practitioners in WA

1300 366 424

The Legal Services Commission is jointly funded by both the South Australian and the Commonwealth Governments. It was established in 1977 to increase access to legal services for those people who cannot afford to pay for private legal representation. This mandate is spelt out in the Legal Services Commission Act 1977, which gives the Commission broad powers and responsibilities to work towards equality before the law for all South Australians.

1800 242 958

Office of the Legal Services Commissioner NSW. The OLSC is a statutory body independent from the legal profession. The Legal Services Commissioner reports to Parliament through the Attorney General. We strive to lead in the development of an ethical legal services market which is fairer, more accessible and responsive.

Level 15, Goodsell Building
8-12 Chifley Square
SYDNEY
NSW
2000

(08) 9221 0088

TAS' aims include: to provide tenancy information, advice and advocacy. to provide community education and training. to raise awareness of tenancy issues; and to seek changes to tenancy law for the benefit of tenants.

(02) 9251 6590

The Tenants' Union (TU) is a specialist Community Legal Centre that aims to represent the interests of all tenants in NSW. This includes private and public tenants, boarders and lodgers and residential park residents.

(07) 4031 3194

The Tenants' Union of Queensland is a statewide community organisation that provides services for residential tenants in Queensland and represents their interests. The Union aims to improve and protect the rights of all Queensland tenants, including caravan park and boarding house residents. Statewide Telephone Advice Service for Tenants.

(03) 6223 2641

Aims of the TU To be a representative organisation of all tenants, working for their collective interests: To work for: improvements in the status and rights of tenants. decent conditions in rented housing. fair leases and the prevention of unfair practices in the rental market. To inform and educate all tenants as to their rights and responsibilities, To provide free advice and services to all tenants.

(03) 9416 2577

A site for residential tenants living in Victoria, Australia who require information on their legal rights and community resources.

(08) 9221 0088

Tenants Advice Service (TAS) is a specialist community legal centre, funded through the Family Law Legal Aid Division of the Commonwealth Attorney Generals Department, Community Legal Centre Program and Rental Accommodation Fund Tenancy Advice and Education Program. The Rental Accommodation Fund consists of tenants' bond money and the interest on those bonds and is administered by the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. The Service was established in 1979 and has remained the only specialist tenancy service for tenants in Western Australia.

Lists are produced by courts and tribunals to announce their daily business.