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 internet-relay.nrscall.gov.au
Captioned Internet Relay captioned-relay.nrscall.gov.au (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)
Voice 1800 555 660
TTY 1800 555 630
Fax 1800 555 690
Email 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.

Department of Human Services

Phone 131 450
Website www.tisnational.gov.au
Service Contact Hours
Families 136 150 • Family Tax Benefit • Parenting Payment Monday–Friday 8am–8pm
Child Support 131 272 • General enquiries • Applying 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 Human Services website.

Website: www.humanservices.gov.au/findus

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.

Phone 1300 888 529 (LawAccess)
Website www.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 (formerly Women’s Refuge Movement)

Phone (02) 9698 9777
Fax (02) 9698 9771
Email admin@dvnsw.org.au
Website www.dvnsw.org.au
Mail PO Box 3311, Redfern NSW, 2016

NSW Family & Community Services (formerly DoCS)

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
Email complaints@facs.nsw.gov.au
To find a Community Services office closest to you, go to the Community Services website.
Website www.community.nsw.gov.au

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 www.familyrelationships.gov.au

Family Law Courts

The Federal Circuit Court and the Family Law Court website have general information about family law court procedures and can make referrals. These websites has information on many topics, court forms, do-it-yourself kits and information about court fees.

Federal Circuit Court
Website www.federalcircuitcourt.gov.au
Family Court of Australia
Website www.familycourt.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
Email enquiries@familylawcourts.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) 6751 1400 or (02) 6752 1188
Broken Hill (08) 8087 6766 or 1800 812 800 (Warra Warra Legal Service)
Forbes (02) 6850 1234 (Binaal Billa Family Violence Prevention Legal Service) or 1800 700 218
Kempsey (02) 6562 5856 (Many Rivers Family Violence Prevention Legal Service)

Link2Home – Statewide Homeless Service

Link2Home provides an information and referral service, including for refuge accommodation.

Phone 1800 152 152
Website www.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 or (02) 9267 0300 (NSW Office)
Email iss@iss.org.au or issnsw@iss.org.au (NSW Office)
Website www.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 www.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 0333
Hours Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
Email lawsociety@lawsociety.com.au
Website www.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 www.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 (corner of Hunter and Macquarie Streets)
Email liac.library@sl.nsw.gov.au
Website www.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
Email iclc@iclc.org.au
Website www.iclc.org.au

Another Closet – Domestic and Family Violence in LGBTIQ Relationships

Website www.anothercloset.com.au

ACON’s Say It Loud website

Phone 1800 063 060 or (02) 9206 2000
Hearing Impaired (02) 9283 2088
Website www.sayitoutloud.org.au

Local Courts NSW

To find the Local Court closest to you, go to the Local Courts’ website.

Website www.localcourt.justice.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
Email olsc@justice.nsw.gov.au
Website www.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.

Bega (02) 6492 6239
Blacktown/Mt Druitt (02) 9677 1962
Campbelltown 1800 077 760 or (02) 4633 3777
Dubbo (02) 6883 1561
Eastern Sydney 0439 414 673
Fairfield, Liverpool (02) 9602 7795
Kempsey (02) 6562 2272
Lake Macquarie (02) 4943 9255
Maitland, Cessnock (02) 4397 1927
Moree (02) 6752 8027
Newcastle (02) 4926 3577
Penrith (02) 4721 2499
Redfern (02) 9699 9036
Shoalhaven (02) 4421 7400
Walgett, Coonamble (02) 6829 4352 or (02) 6828 3570
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 www.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.

Email info@whnsw.asn.au
Phone (02) 9560 0866
Website www.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 (administration)
Website www.wlsnsw.org.au
Women’s Legal Contact Line
Free legal advice for women in NSW
Phone (02) 8745 6988 or 1800 801 501
Indigenous Women’s Legal Contact Line
Free legal advice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in NSW
Phone (02) 8745 6977 or 1800 639 784
Domestic Violence Legal Advice Line
Free legal advice for women in NSW with legal issues relating to domestic violence
Phone (02) 8745 6999 or 1800 810 784
Outreach Services
WLS provides face to face legal advice by appointment at a number of locations across Sydney. Phone to book an appointment at an outreach service nearest to you.
Blacktown (02) 9831 2070
Bonnies (Canley Heights) (02) 9729 0939
Liverpool (02) 9601 3555
Penrith (02) 4721 8749

 

9.2 Useful resources

Organisation Resource Website
Attorney General’s Department Information about international child abduction. www.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. www.afp.gov.au/policing/family-law/family-law-kit
Family Law Courts Pamphlets, fact sheets and kits about court’s services, court processes, costs and a range of family law issues.
Thomson Reuters The Law Handbook 12th edition Sydney 2012. www.legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au/guides/law_handbook
Law Access Factsheets and referrals on many areas of law. www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au
Legal Aid NSW Pamphlets and fact sheets on family law, child support and domestic violence as well as other criminal and civil law issues. www.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.

www.legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au
Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre Family Law Property Settlement Workbook and other publications about children’s court care matters. www.shoalcoast.org.au
Victims Services Forms for applying for Victims Support, publications and links to other resources. www.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. www.wirringabaiya.org.au
Women’s Legal Services NSW Women and Family Law Booklet and brochures about domestic violence. www.wlsnsw.org.au

9.3 Family Law Fees

Fees are as at 1 July 2019 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 – $165
  • Initiating application (Parenting or financial, final only) – $350
  • Initiating application (Parenting or financial, final and interim) – $470
  • Initiating application (Parenting and financial, Final only) –  $575
  • Initiating application (Parenting and financial, final and interim) – $695
  • Response to initiating application (final) – $350
  • Interim application – $120

Federal Circuit Court of Australia

  • Application for divorce – $910
  • Application for divorce—reduced fee – $305
    (no fee waiver allowed)
  • Initiating application (Parenting or financial, final only) – $350
  • Initiating application (Parenting or financial, final and interim) – $470
  • Initiating application (Parenting and financial, final only) – $575
  • Initiating application (Parenting and financial, final only and interim) – $695

Multicultural NSW (was Community Relations Commission)

  • Translation of Standard documents—14 days – $77
  • Translation of Standard documents—7 days – $96
  • Translation of Standard documents—24 hours – $117
    (not available in all languages)

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 Courts National enquiry line 1300 352 000.


 Chapter 8: Legal language – what does it all mean?

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