Other support for young people and the law

Bullying online or at school

Our lawyers may be able to help you if you have experienced discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation, or racial or religious vilification in areas such as:

• education
• employment (including partnerships and contractors)
• buying or selling goods or services
• accommodation
• clubs and sporting activities
• working as a volunteer
• treatment by local councils, governments and organisations providing public services
• entry to shops, restaurants and nightclubs.

In some cases, we may be able to negotiate, make a complaint, or take legal action in a court or tribunal.

We do not provide general employment advice and we do not help people to defend complaints of discrimination that have been made against them.

We also do not help people with complaints about bullying, unless it is linked to discrimination.

Who else can help

Legal services

The Disability Discrimination Legal Service gives free legal advice and assistance to anyone who wants to make a complaint about being discriminated against on the grounds of their disability.

The AED Legal Centre gives free legal advice and assistance to people with a disability in the areas of employment, education and training.

Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service is a Victorian community legal centre located in Geelong that helps with disability related legal issues. They mostly help people who have an intellectual disability.

JobWatch is an employment rights legal centre which provides legal assistance to Victorian workers. They can give you free, confidential telephone information and referrals about work rights.

Fair Work Commission

If you reasonably believe that you have been bullied at work and the bullying is continuing you may apply to the Fair Work Commission for an order to stop the bullying. The commission must start dealing with your application within 14 days. They will investigate the complaint and may make orders they think are necessary to prevent the bullying from happening again.

Find out more about what you can do about bullying and discrimination at work.

Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner

If you are under 18 and have experienced cyberbullying, you can make a complaint to the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner. They will assess your complaint and decide whether to investigate or take some other action.

They also have a list of social media services' safety centres where you can report abuse or content that you find offensive.

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission enquiry line can provide information to people about discrimination before they choose to make a complaint.

Call the enquiry line on 1300 292 153 or visit the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission's website(opens in a new window).

Making a complaint about discrimination

Discrimination law is complex. It can be confusing knowing where to go to make a complaint. There are often several options available, such as complaining to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission or the Australian Human Rights Commission or the Fair Work Commission (the workplace relations tribunal).

If you complain to one place, sometimes you cannot later change your mind and complain elsewhere. It is best to call us or speak to one of the services listed on this page to get legal advice before lodging a complaint.

However, if you want to speak directly to a human rights commission or industrial tribunal about making a complaint you can contact:

• the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (Victorian law)
• the Australian Human Rights Commission Complaints Infoline (Commonwealth law)
• Fair Work Commission (Commonwealth workplace law).

Resources about bullying

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission website has information about:

• what discrimination(opens in a new window) is, the common types of discrimination and how to make a complaint to the commission
• sex discrimination(opens in a new window), including examples of conduct that is against the law and how to make a complaint
• pregnancy and breastfeeding discrimination(opens in a new window), how to respond to it and make a complaint
• gender identity, lawful sexual activity, sexual orientation discrimination and how to make a complaint
• age discrimination(opens in a new window), what you can do if you believe you have been discriminated against or treated unfairly because of your age
• parent or carer status discrimination(opens in a new window), what you can do and how to make a complaint
• race discrimination(opens in a new window), what you can do if you have been discriminated against because of your race, or what race they assume you are
• preventing discrimination in the workplace(opens in a new window) for employers and employees
• sexual harassment(opens in a new window) including what you can do and how to make a complaint
• victimisation in the workplace(opens in a new window), the rights of employees who have made a discrimination complaint and believe they are being victimised by their employers
• workplace bullying(opens in a new window) and what to do if you or someone at work is being bullied
• how the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act protects people from discrimination at work(opens in a new window)
• expunged homosexual conviction discrimination, and what you can do if someone discriminates against you because of a homosexual conviction that has been removed from your criminal record
• racial and religious vilification(opens in a new window), what you can do if you have been vilified because of your race or religion.

Fair Work Ombudsman

The Fair Work Ombudsman website has information about:

• protection from discrimination at work(opens in a new window)
• what is considered workplace bullying and harassment(opens in a new window), and how the Fair Work Commission can help if you are being bullied or harassed at work.

Fair Work Commission

The Fair Work Commission website has information about:

• what workplace bullying(opens in a new window) is and what the Fair Work Commission can do to help
• sexual harassment at work and what you can do to stop this.

Young people and the police

Our other free legal services include help at court. For some matters, we can also provide you with a lawyer to help you run your case.

You can also contact us for free information about criminal offences and how we can help you.

Other organisations that can help

Legal services

Your local community legal centre can give you legal information and advice. Most services are free.

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) provides legal advice and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. If you are Koori and taken into custody, the police must tell VALS within one hour. You will get support and advice from one of their client services officers. They also have a 24-hour service.

You can also find a private lawyer near you through the Law Institute of Victoria’s Legal Referral Service. All law firms included in the Legal Referral Service provide a free 30-minute interview. You can use this interview to understand more about the legal issue and how much it will cost. Note that the free interview is not 30 minutes of free legal advice.

Other services

If you have a cognitive disability, the Office of the Public Advocate can provide an independent third person to be with you at the police station while you are interviewed or during procedures such as the police taking body samples.

Complaints

See Complaints about police for organisations that can help you make a complaint if you feel you have not been treated fairly by the police.

Resources about young people and the police

Our free resources include:

• Am I old enough? Common legal issues for young people
• Drugs, the law and safer substance use
• Police powers: your rights in Victoria.

See a list of all our free publications and resources.

We also have a video about police.

Resources from other organisations

Youthlaw

Youthlaw's website contains information about:

• Police powers and your rights on the street(opens in a new window), including searches, move-on or stay-away orders and disorderly conduct.
• Police powers and your rights on arrest(opens in a new window), including your rights when under arrest.

Youthlaw's Street Smart Victoria is a practical guide to knowing your rights on the streets and has information about police powers.

The Law Handbook

The Law Handbook from Fitzroy Legal Service contains information about:

• Arrest – what the police can and cannot do when arresting someone.

Work if you're under 15

Other organisations that can help

Legal services

Job Watch provides legal assistance to Victorian workers. Job Watch can give you free, confidential telephone information and referrals about work rights.

Your local community legal centre can give you legal information and advice. Most services are free.

Complaints

The Fair Work Ombudsman investigates complaints or suspected breaches of workplace laws, awards and registered agreements and some Fair Work Commission orders. Sometimes, the Fair Work Ombudsman may take legal action to enforce workplace laws.

To make a complaint call the Fair Work Ombudsman Helpline.

Workplace rights

Trade unions can help their members with many employment issues, including questions about pay, unfair dismissals and workers’ compensation disputes.

See the Australian Council of Trade Unions website.

WorkSafe Victoria

WorkSafe Victoria manages the workers compensation scheme and investigates breaches of occupational health and safety laws. There is information on their website about making a claim and returning to work after you are injured at work.

WorkCover Assist is a free service provided by WorkSafe Victoria to help injured workers who have a WorkCover dispute with their employer. The staff will explain the conciliation process and will attend a conciliation conference to assist the employee.

Superannuation

Contact the Australian Tax Office's Superannuation Hotline on 131 020 for enquiries and services on superannuation.

Support for independent contractors

The Australian Government’s Business website has information and resources about contractor rights and protections.

Our business and commercial issues topic also has useful information for independent contractors.

Resources about young people and work

See a list of all our free publications and resources, including:

• Am I old enough? Common legal issues for young people

Resources from other organisations

Fair Work Ombudsman

The Fair Work Ombudsman can help with information about pay, employee entitlements, leave, ending employment and awards and agreements.

The Fair Work Ombudsman website has a range of resources to help employees and contractors. It also has fact sheets about minimum workplace entitlements in Australia.

JobWatch

JobWatch can give you free and confidential phone information and referrals about your rights at work. You can contact them on (03) 9662 1933 if you are calling from a metropolitan area, or 1800 331 617 if you are calling from a regional area.

JobWatch has a range of information sheets about employment rights.

The Law Handbook

Fitzroy Legal Service’s Law Handbook has information about:

• employment contracts, awards and agreements
• protection for your rights at work.

WorkSafe

WorkSafe has publications and forms to help injured workers and to avoid workplace injury.

The WorkSafe website has information about:

• WorkSafe claims including returning to work for injured workers and information for employers about the claims process
• the compulsory WorkSafe insurance for employers, which covers costs if your workers are injured or become ill at work
• the laws and regulations that set out the responsibilities of employers and workers to maintain safety in the workplace.

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission

Employee rights in the workplace and what to do if you think that you have been treated unfairly.

Australian Financial Complaints Authority

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority website has information about superannuation complaints.

Underage drinking

Other organisations that can help

Legal services

Your local community legal centre can give you legal information and advice. Most services are free.

You can also find a private lawyer near you through the Law Institute of Victoria’s Legal Referral Service. All law firms included in the Legal Referral Service provide a free 30-minute interview. You can use this interview to understand more about the legal issue and discuss the available options and how much they will cost. Note that the free interview is not 30 minutes of free legal advice.

Help at court

Court Network volunteers support people at court. They are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice, but they can tell you about how court works. You can ring them before you go to court.

Resources about underage drinking

Our free publications:

• Your day in court
• Police powers: your rights in Victoria
• Am I old enough? Common legal issues for young people
• Drugs, the law and safer substance use.

See a list of all our free publications and resources.

We also have a video about police.

Resources from other organisations

The Youthlaw website contains information about young people, alcohol and the law.

Youth allowance and payments for young people

You can call us or chat to us for free information about the law and how we can help you with your Centrelink problem.

Our lawyers may be able to help if you:

• are unsure about your rights or entitlements
• disagree with a Centrelink decision
• are being investigated for fraud or charged with a criminal offence.

For some matters, we can provide you with a lawyer to help you run your case.

Other organisations that can help

Social Security Rights Victoria

Social Security Rights Victoria is a community legal centre that provides assistance, including legal help, to people with social security problems.

Community legal centres

Your local community legal centre can give you legal information and advice. Most services are free.

Legal Aid Commissions (outside Victoria)

Your local legal aid commission can give you information and advice.

Economic Justice Australia

Economic Justice Australia is a network of community legal centres throughout Australia that specialise in social security law.

Our resources about Centrelink

• Disagree with a Centrelink decision?
• Am I old enough? Common legal issues for young people

See a list of all our free publications and resources.

We also have a video on Centrelink debts.

Resources from other organisations

Economic Justice Australia

A range of fact sheets about Centrelink and social security matters are on the Economic Justice Australia website.

Centrelink

Centrelink has online estimators to help you estimate or compare various payments that you might get based on your circumstances.

The Services Australia website has information about Centrelink, including:

• owing money for a Centrelink debt
• reporting your earnings
• payments and services.

The Guide to Australian Government payments also has information about eligibility and payment rates for a wide range of Centrelink payments.

The Law Handbook

The Law Handbook from Fitzroy Legal Service has information about Centrelink payments and eligibility requirements:

• Dealing with social security.

Information for young people about child abuse and neglect

For some matters, we can provide you with a lawyer to help you run your case. You may be eligible if you are a:

• child aged 10 or more
• parent or other person trying to have a child in your care.

Other organisations that can help

Independent Family Advocacy and Support

Independent Family Advocacy and Support (IFAS) provides non-legal advocacy and support to parents and primary carers.

You can contact them for free in Victoria on 1800 849 200:

• Monday 9 am to 12 pm
• Wednesday 1 pm to 4 pm
• Friday 9 am to 12 pm.

On the phone, they will tell you what services they can offer you.

Aboriginal legal services

If you or your child is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you can choose to access an Aboriginal legal service directly. Or, you can tell us that you want to be referred to one of the following services:

• Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service – phone 1800 064 865
• Djirra (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women only) – phone 1800 105 303.

Help for young people

Kids Helpline is a free, confidential and anonymous counselling service for young people aged between 5 and 25. You can speak to a counsellor on the phone at any time of the day by calling 1800 551 800.

Visit the Kids Help Line website if you don't feel comfortable talking to someone over the phone, or if you can't get to a phone. Counselling is also available at certain times of the day, and by email. If you need help urgently, the telephone is the fastest way of getting to a counsellor.

More information

• Get help with family violence and child protection.
• Get help with parenting arrangements and child contact.