Chapter 9: Referrals and Resources
Download this chapter: Chapters 8 and 9: Legal language and Referrals and resources (PDF)
9.1 Referrals
9.2 Useful resources
9.3 Family Law Fees
9.1 Referrals
For people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment
If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can ring any telephone number using the National Relay Service.
| TTY/Voice calls | 133 677 |
| Speak & Listen | 1300 555 727 |
| SMS Relay | 0423 677 767 |
| Internet Relay | nrschat.nrscall.gov.au/nrs/internetrelay |
| Captioned Internet Relay | nrscaptions.nrscall.gov.au/nrs/captionrelay (Some services may not use) |
| Video Relay | Choose the available NRS video relay contact on Skype Open Skype and contact NRS.VIDEORELAY (Some services may not use) |
If you are unsure how to use the National Relay Service, you can contact the National Relay Service Helpdesk.
| Hours | Monday–Friday (8am–6pm Sydney time) |
| Helpdesk Information | nrscaptions.nrscall.gov.au/nrs/contactus |
| Voice | 1800 555 660 |
| TTY | 1800 555 630 |
| Fax | 1800 555 690 |
| helpdesk@relayservice.com.au | |
| SMS | 0416 001 350 |
For people who are non-English speakers
If you do not speak English or it is not your main language, you can call TIS National (Translating and Interpreting Service) for an interpreter. It is free to call most government services and many non-profit services.
| Phone | 131 450 |
| Website | tisnational.gov.au |
Services Australia
| Service | Contact | Hours |
| Families | 136 150 • Family Tax Benefit • Parenting Payment | Monday–Friday 8am–8pm |
| Child Support | 131 272 • General enquiries • Applications | Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:45pm |
| Indigenous phone services | 1800 136 380 • Centrelink 1800 556 955 • Medicare |
Monday–Friday 8am–5pm Monday–Friday 8am–5pm |
| Multilingual phone services | 131 202 • Centrelink | Monday–Friday 8am–5pm |
| TIS National phone services | 131 450 • Medicare and Child Support | Monday–Friday 8am–5pm |
For details of your closest Centrelink, Medicare or Child Support location, go to the Services Australia website: servicesaustralia.gov.au
Children’s Contact Services
Contact the Family Relationship Advice Line for the location and telephone number of your closest Child Contact Service.
| Phone | 1800 050 321 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm Saturday, 10am–4pm |
Community Legal Centres NSW
CLCs NSW is the peak body for community legal centres in NSW. To find the Community Legal Centre closest to you, go to the CLCs NSW website or phone LawAccess.
| Phone | LawAccess: 1300 888 529 |
| Website | findlegalhelp.clcnsw.org.au |
Domestic Violence Line
The Domestic Violence Line is a 24 hour, 7 day a week phone service that offers referral to refuges and accommodation, counselling and support services to victims of domestic violence.
| Phone | 1800 656 463 |
| TTY | 1800 671 442 |
Domestic Violence NSW
| Phone | (02) 9698 9777 |
| Fax | (02) 9698 9771 |
| admin@dvnsw.org.au | |
| Website | dvnsw.org.au |
NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) (formerly DoCS or FaCS)
The Child Protection Helpline is a phone service to report suspected child abuse or neglect, 24 hours, 7 days a week.
| Phone | 132 111 |
| TTY | 1800 212 936 |
| Enquiries, feedback & complaints | |
| Phone | 1800 000 164 |
| To find a Community Services office closest to you, go to the Community Services website. | |
| Website | facs.nsw.gov.au/families |
Family Relationship Advice Line
The Family Relationship Advice Line is a national telephone service that provides information on family relationship issues, advice on parenting arrangements and referrals to local services.
| Phone | 1800 050 321 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm Saturday, 10am–4pm |
Family Relationships Online
The Family Relationships Online website provides families with information about relationship issues and services to assist them with their relationship issues, including family dispute resolution services. The website also includes the contact details of Family Relationship Centres across Australia.
| Website | familyrelationships.gov.au |
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law Court)
The Federal Circuit and Family Court website has general information about Family Law Court procedures and can make referrals. The website has information on many topics, court forms, do-it-yourself kits and information about court fees.
| Website | fcfcoa.gov.au |
You can call the National Enquiry Centre 24 hours if you have an urgent family law situation, such as children at risk of being taken overseas without consent:
| Phone | 1300 352 000 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5pm |
| enquiries@fcfcoa.gov.au |
Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (NSW)
Family Violence Prevention Legal Services are community-based organisations that provide legal assistance and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of family violence.
| Bourke, Moree HO, Walgett (Thiyama-li Family Violence Service) | (02) 6752 1188 |
| Broken Hill (Warra Warra Legal Service) | (08) 8087 6766 or 1800 812 800 |
| Forbes (Binaal Billa Family Violence Prevention Legal Service) | (02) 6850 1234 or 1800 700 218 |
| Kempsey (Many Rivers Family Violence Prevention Legal Service) | (02) 6562 5856 |
Link2Home – Statewide Homeless Service
Link2Home provides an information and referral service, including for refuge accommodation.
| Phone | 1800 152 152 |
| Website | facs.nsw.gov.au/housing |
International Social Service (ISS) Australia
The International Social Service provides telephone information and social work support for international parental child abduction and tracing cases.
| Phone | 1300 657 843 |
| iss@iss.org.au | |
| Website | iss.org.au |
LawAccess NSW
LawAccess provides free legal information, advice and referrals. It is a main referral point to find your nearest Legal Aid, Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, Community Legal Centre, Family Violence Prevention Legal Service or Aboriginal Legal Service as well as private solicitor referrals.
| Phone | 1300 888 529 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm |
| Website | lawaccess.nsw.gov.au |
Law Society of New South Wales
The Law Society of NSW provides a solicitor referral service and a pro bono solicitor scheme.
| Phone | (02) 9926 0300 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm |
| lawsociety@lawsociety.com.au | |
| Website | lawsociety.com.au |
Legal Aid NSW
Legal Aid NSW provides free legal advice and information, as well as legal representation for eligible clients.
| Phone | (02) 9219 5000 (Head Office) |
| 1300 888 529 (LawAccess) | |
| TTY | (02) 9219 5126 |
| Website | legalaid.nsw.gov.au |
Legal Aid NSW Child Support Service
| Phone | (02) 9633 9916 or 1800 451 784 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm |
Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC)
The Legal Information Access Centre provides legal research assistance and access to legal information resources (including legislation and case law). Specialist librarians are available to assist with legal research.
| Phone | (02) 9273 1414 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm Monday–Friday, 10am–1pm (Telephone enquiries) |
| Location | State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000 |
| liac.library@sl.nsw.gov.au | |
| Website | legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au |
LGBTIQ Services
Inner City Legal Centre
ICLC is a community legal centre which provides lesbian, gay, transgender and intersex people with legal services including court assistance for people escaping domestic and family violence and a statewide legal advice service.
| Phone | (02) 9332 1966 or 1800 244 481 (Toll free) |
| SMS | 0466 724 979 |
| iclc@iclc.org.au | |
| Website | iclc.org.au |
ACON
| Phone | 1800 063 060 or (02) 9206 2000 |
| Hearing Impaired | (02) 9283 2088 |
Another Closet – Domestic and Family Violence in LGBTIQ
| Relationships website | ssdv.acon.org.au |
Say it Out Loud – Domestic and Family Violence
| Information website | sayitoutloud.org.au |
Local Courts NSW
To find the Local Court closest to you, go to the Local Courts’ website.
| Website | localcourt.nsw.gov.au |
NSW Office of the Legal Services Commissioner (OLSC)
You can contact the OLSC to make a complaint against a legal practitioner or service.
| Phone | (02) 9377 1800 or 1800 242 958 |
| TTY | (02) 9377 1855 |
| olsc@justice.nsw.gov.au | |
| Website | olsc.nsw.gov.au |
Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV)
The Staying Home Leaving Violence program helps women and children escaping domestic violence to remain safely in their homes.
| Albury | (02) 6058 6200 |
| Armidale | 1800 073 388 |
| Bathurst/Lithgow | 1300 384 357 |
| Bega | (02) 6492 6239 |
| Blacktown | (02) 9677 1962 |
| Blue Mountains | 1300 384 357 |
| Broken Hill | (08) 8088 2520 |
| Campbelltown | 1800 077 760 or (02) 4633 3777 |
| Canterbury/Burwood | (02) 9602 7795 |
| Coffs Harbour | (02) 6652 9944 |
| Coonamble/Walgett | (02) 6829 4352 or (02) 6828 3570 |
| Dubbo | (02) 6883 1561 |
| Eurobodalla | (02) 6492 6239 |
| Fairfield, Liverpool | (02) 9602 7795 |
| Georges River | (02) 9319 4088 |
| Griffith | (02) 6964 3381 |
| Inverell | 0417 858 634 or 0417 786 736 |
| Kempsey | (02) 6562 2272 |
| Lake Macquarie | (02) 4943 9255 |
| Lachlan/Weddin | 1800 067 067 |
| Maitland, Cessnock | (02) 4934 2585 |
| Mid Coast | (02) 4979 1120 |
| Mid-Western Regional | 1300 384 357 |
| Moree | (02) 6752 8027 |
| Muswellbrook/Upper Hunter | (02) 4934 2585 |
| Newcastle | (02) 4926 3577 |
| Orange | 1300 384 357 |
| Parkes/Forbes/Cowra | (02) 6850 1788 |
| Parramatta | (02) 9636 8437 |
| Penrith | (02) 4721 2499 |
| Port Stephens | (02) 4987 4674 |
| Queanbeyan/Palrang | (02) 6299 4799 |
| Randwick/Waverley | 0439 414 673 |
| Redfern | (02) 9699 9036 |
| Richmond Valley | (02) 6662 2898 |
| Shoalhaven | (02) 4421 7400 |
| Snowy Monaro Regional Council | (02) 6492 6239 |
| Sutherland | (02) 9528 2933 |
| Tamworth Regional | 1800 073 388 |
| Tweed/Byron | (02) 6684 4299 |
| Wagga Wagga/Junee | (02) 6964 3381 |
| Wollongong | (02) 4255 5333 |
| Wyong, Gosford | (02) 4356 2600 |
Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre
Wirringa Baiya is a statewide community legal centre for Indigenous women.
| Phone | (02) 9569 3847 or 1800 686 587 |
| Website | wirringabaiya.org.au |
Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services (WDVCAS)
WDVCAS provides information, support and referrals to women who have experienced domestic violence. To find a WDVCAS closest to you, or to find if there is one at the court you are going to you can contact the local police DVLO or call LawAccess.
| Phone | 1300 888 529 (Law Access) |
Women’s Health NSW
Women’s Health NSW is the peak body for Women’s Health Centres in NSW. To find the Women’s Health Centre closest to you, go to the Women’s Health NSW website.
| info@whnsw.asn.au | |
| Phone | (02) 9560 0866 |
| Website | whnsw.asn.au |
Women’s Legal Service NSW
Women’s Legal Service NSW (WLS) is a statewide community legal centre for women. WLS provides free legal advice, information and referrals through the advice lines and outreaches provided below. Limited casework and representation may be available. WLS also does community legal education and law and policy reform work.
| Phone | (02) 8745 6900 / 1800 WLSNSW |
| Website | wlsnsw.org.au |
Outreach Services
Please check our website for information about our outreach services
9.2 Useful resources
| Organisation | Resource | Website |
| Attorney General’s Department | Information about international child abduction. | ag.gov.au/FamiliesAndMarriage/Families/InternationalFamilyLaw/Pages/default.aspx |
| Australian Federal Police | Family Law Kit: Information about recovery of children and the family law (airport) watchlist. | afp.gov.au/our-services/national-policing-services/family-law-watchlist |
| Family Law Court | Pamphlets, fact sheets and kits about court’s services, court processes, costs and a range of family law issues. | fcfcoa.gov.au |
| Thomson Reuters | The Law Handbook 15th edition, Sydney 2020. | legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au/guides/law_handbook |
| Legal Aid NSW | Pamphlets and fact sheets on family law, child support and domestic violence as well as other criminal and civil law issues. | legalaid.nsw.gov.au |
| Legal Information Access Centre
(NSW State Library) |
Hot Topics: Publications about legal issues in plain language.
Find Legal Answers: lists useful legal resources, by topic, available on the web and in print from public libraries across NSW or in the State Library of NSW. |
legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au |
| Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre | Family Law Property Settlement Workbook and other publications about children’s court care matters. | shoalcoast.org.au |
| Victims Services | Forms for applying for Victims Support, publications and links to other resources. | victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au |
| Welfare Rights Centre | Factsheets about social security benefits and dealing with Centrelink (e.g. ‘Declaring your same sex relationship to Centrelink’, and ‘Prosecution of social security offences’). | welfarerightscentre.org.au |
| Wirringa Baiya | Infosheets on a number of topics including victims’ support, sexual assault, domestic violence and AVOs. | wirringabaiya.org.au |
| Women’s Legal Service NSW | Women and Family Law Booklet and brochures about domestic violence. | wlsnsw.org.au |
9.3 Family Law Fees
Fees are as at 1 July 2023 subject to increase please check with the court or service for up to date fees.
The Family Court and Federal Circuit Court may give you an exemption from fees if you are in financial hardship. Check court guidelines to see if you have to pay the fee or if you may fill in the application for exemption from fees.
Family Court of Australia
- Application for consent orders – $195
- Initiating application (Parenting or financial, final only) – $410
- Initiating application (Parenting or financial, final and interim) – $550
- Initiating application (Parenting and financial, final only) – $670
- Initiating application (Parenting and financial, final and interim) – $810
- Response to initiating application (final) – $410
- Interim application – $140
Federal Circuit Court of Australia
- Application for divorce – $1060
- Application for divorce—reduced fee – $350 (no fee waiver allowed)
- Initiating application (parenting or financial, final only) – $410
- Initiating application (parenting or financial, final and interim) – $550
- Initiating application (parenting and financial, final only) – $670
- Initiating application (parenting and financial, final only and interim) – $810
Multicultural NSW (was Community Relations Commission)
- Translation of Standard documents—7 days – $80
- Translation of Standard documents—Express Service – $105
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
- Marriage Certificate—Standard – $60
- Marriage Certificate—Urgent – $88
For more details, other filing fees or exemption applications call the Family Law Court National enquiry line 1300 352 000.
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