Legal Advice
It is always best to seek professional advice when you need assistance with a legal question or problem. A number of free legal advice services are available.
Australian Law Online has great links to heaps of sites and information on topics such as children and young people, Indigenous Australians, consumers, crime and family relationships. There are free hotlines, one for Family Law issues (1800 050 321) and another for rural and regional Australians (1800 050 400).
Lawstuff is a fantastic legal site for young people. Choose your State or Territory then select 'legal advice' from their pull-down topic menu for information on the Children’s Court, counselling, domestic violence, police, school, sexual assault, wills and workers compensation to name a few.
Every state and territory has a Legal Aid Commission which provides free legal advice and assists socially and economically disadvantaged people with legal aid. Visit their site and select your State/Territory.
There are Community Legal Centres in many areas of Australia. These centres offer legal advice and assistance on a range of issues.
The police can approach you and ask you questions at any time. Responding the right way can save you a lot of trouble later. Whether you're being charged or simply trying to help, it's important to know your rights.
Make a Noise runs you through the basics of dealing with the police in a way that will help both of you.
For more detailed info, visit Lawstuff, enter your State or Territory and select 'Police' from their topic menu.
Crimestoppers allows people to make anonymous, confidential calls to police (calls are not taped or traced) with information about unsolved crimes. People are issued with a code number which they can quote if they make further contact.
Laws can be different in each State or Territory, for information about the law and your rights (covering a range of issues) in your area try these links:
| ACT | NSW |
| NT | QLD |
| SA | TAS |
| VIC | WA |