The Burnie office of the Women’s Legal Service is a specialist family violence unit. If you are located in North West Tasmania, experiencing or have experienced family violence, contact the Burnie office directly for legal assistance or information.
National sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service.
Qualified and experienced counsellors provide information and referral to support services. Offers telephone and online counselling.
National community legal centre which provides free initial legal advice and assistance to artists, arts organisations in all sectors of the cultural community. For ongoing advice and assistance artists and organisations can subscribe. Standard form contracts provided for a fee.
If seeking legal advice it is preferable to use thier online legal query form. Requests for legal advice are answered in the order they are first received. Priority is not given to phone messages.
The Australian Childhood Foundation provide counselling to children and young people who have been affected by family violence.
Children and young people can access this service if they:
- are 17 years of age or younger
- have been affected by family violence at home
- are not in foster car or kinship care
- have a parent, carer or significant adult who can support them through counselling
- are not currently involved in another similar counselling service
Division within the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services which holds the statutory responsibility for intervening legally to protect child from abuse and neglect by their parents or other carers. Any suspected circumstances of child abuse can be reported.
The Community Forensic Mental Health Service is a confidential statewide service that assists people who have a mental health issue and/or intellectual disability who are:
- involved with the criminal justice system, or
- assessed as high risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system as a result of their mental health and associated behaviour.
The service offers mental health assessment, liaison, counselling, support, education, advice and referral to other services.
CFMHS has a Court Liaison Officer who provide assistance people eligible for the service who have to go to Court. Potential clients need to be referred for assessment.
The Community Forensic Mental Health Service is a confidential statewide service that assists people who have a mental health issue and/or intellectual disability who are:
- involved with the criminal justice system, or
- assessed as high risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system as a result of their mental health and associated behaviour.
The service offers mental health assessment, liaison, counselling, support, education, advice and referral to other services.
CFMHS has a Court Liaison Officer who provide assistance people eligible for the service who have to go to Court. Potential clients need to be referred for assessment.
Free service for adult & child victims of family violence through the Safe at Home program. Court Support Officers are available to provide support to adult and child victims of family violence, including referral to appropriate counselling and other services and guide them through the justice system during and after court appearances.
Free service for adult & child victims of family violence through the Safe at Home program. Court Support Officers are available to provide support to adult and child victims of family violence, including referral to appropriate counselling and other services and guide them through the justice system during and after court appearances.
Free service for adult & child victims of family violence through the Safe at Home program. Court Support Officers are available to provide support to adult and child victims of family violence, including referral to appropriate counselling and other services and guide them through the justice system during and after court appearances.
A service provided by the Department of Health & Human Services, for people who have been involved in a family violence incident and have been issued with a Police Family Violence Order.
They can provide information and advice about what a Police Family Violence Order means, how to prevent breaches and provide referrals to appropriate services.
The EDO is a non profit community legal centre, advising on environmental and planning law. They provide expert information and advice to individuals and groups throughout Tasmania. They assist with a range of environmental and planning matters, including forestry, development activities, coastal protection, water management, marine farming, mining, climate change adaptation and the protection of cultural heritage.
Open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Responsible for investigating and conciliating claims of discrimination under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tasmania). Promotes non-discriminatory principles and practices through training and community education and distribution of information on discrimination.
Previously known as the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.
Department of Health and Human Services Family Violence Counselling and Support Service offers professional and specialised services to assist children, young people and adults affected by family violence. This service is part of the safe at home initiative (http://www.safeathome.tas.gov.au/).
Part of the Safe At Home iniative. This is a 24 hour, 7 day service. The Victim Safety Response Team (VSRT) work with victims of family violence undertaking follow up work from police, frequently carrying out safety audits and safety plans. Calls requiring an immediate response will have a police intervention team dispatched. Those calls not requiring an immediate ‘safety’ response will be referred to appropriate counselling, support and referral services.
This office provides general legal advice, by appointment, on various matters including: industrial relations (Fairwork), child support (payee parents), consumer credit and minor civil matters.
This office provides general legal information and advice on all legal matters to people living in the Bridgewater/Gagebrook area and surrounding areas.
Office is open Tuesday – Friday 9.30 a.m.- 12.30 p.m. in the Covehill Fair Shopping Centre. An appointment is advisable but not necessary.
A solicitor also attends Risdon Prison, offering general legal advice, on request.
This office provides general legal advice and referrals on all legal matters to people living in Sorell and surrounding areas. This office also provides limited Court representation on specific legal matters.
The Huon Domestic Violence Service offers support and information regarding domestic violence within the Huon Valley.
Services offered by the Huon Domestic Violence Service include:
- Support
- Counselling
- Information
- Advocacy
- Court Support
- Community Education
This service is eligible to all victims of domestic violence. No referral necessary and is a free service.
Provides free legal advice to individal consumers throughout Australia on issues concerning insurance. Particularly home and contents insurance, consumer credit, life insurance, income protection, superannuation related insurance, travel insurance, motor vehicle insurance, debts to insurance companies. Part of the Financial Rights Legal Centre NSW.
An employment rights legal centre which operates out of Victoria and provides assistance to Victorian, Queensland and Tasmanian workers about their rights at work. Their functions include free confidential telephone information and referral services.
This service is available Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm and on Wednesdays 9:00am to 8:30pm. Access to interpreters can also be arranged.
The telephone consultants provide practical assistance and will explain legal options and information about other agencies that can also provide assistance. The telephone consultants can speak directly with callers about issues such as:
- Unfair dismissal
- Unlawful dismissal and general protections
- Unfair work practices
- Unpaid wages, superannuation and other entitlements
- Workplace bullying and violence
- Sexual harrassment
- Maternity leave
- Discrimination in the workplace
- Enterprise agreements, awards and employment contracts
Knowmore provides free legal advice and practical help in a confidential and supportive environment. Our specialist counsellors/social workers will support you in using our services. If you need further support, knowmore will help you to access the most appropriate services.
The LCLC provides free general legal advice and assistance to Tasmania’s most vulnerable people.
LCLC funding is provided by both Federal and State Governments, therefore income tests do apply in most instances.
At first a 45 minute, one off legal advice session is provided to clients, which can include but is not limited to, such matters as wills, power of attorney, debt, contract, consumer rights, boundary fences, restraint orders, employment or unfair dismissal issues, family law issues, welfare rights issues and disability discrimination issues.
A free After Hours Drop-In Clinic each Wednesday from 5:30pm to 7:00pm provides legal assistance from volunteer local private practitioners – the clinic operates on a first come-first serve basis.
The clinic is NOT asset or income tested.
A program for male perpetrators of low to medium risk family violence, which is run by Relationships Australia.
This program forms part of the Safe Homes, Safe Families program. It is designed for men who have abused or hurt their partners and are ready to take responsibility for their behaviour.
The program comprises of individual counselling and group facilitated sessions.
The Men’s Referral Service is a men’s family violence telephone counselling, information and referral service operating in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania and is the central point of contact for men taking responsibility for their violent behaviour. We also provide support and referrals for women and men seeking information on behalf of their male partners, friends or family members, and workers in a range of agencies seeking assistance for their clients who are men.
The Men’s Referral Service is for:
- Men who are using controlling behaviour towards a partner or family member
- Women seeking information about men’s use of family violence
- Friends, family or colleagues of people who may be using or experiencing family violence
- Professionals wishing to support a client who is using or experiencing family violence
Australian government scheme for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. Those people affected by institutional child sexual abuse can register for the scheme from 1 July 2018. The Helpline can answer questions that potential claimants may have.
National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) is the peak community organisation in the area of social security law, policy and administration. Their aim is to reduce poverty, hardship and inequality in Australia by advocating for a social security system which is fair, adequate and well administered.
Their members are community legal centres and organisations whose role is to provide disadvantaged people with free information, advice, education and representation in the areas of social security and family assistance. Their services are free and independent.
In Tasmania the Community Legal Centres are:
Hobart Community Legal Service and Launceston Community Legal Centre.
North West Community Legal Centre is established to provide advice to residents of the North West Coast of Tasmania. Residents in other areas of the State can be referred to Community Legal Centres in their local area. The NWCLC is based in Devonport and provides outreach services to Burnie, Smithton, West Coast and King Island.
They provide advice on a broad range of legal issues, including;
- General Family Law
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Problems with Government Departments
- Criminal Matters
- Neighbour Disputes
- Credit and Debt Issues to Consumers
- Residential Tenancy Matters
- Community legal education services to schools
- Colleges
- Community groups and Organisations
- and More…..
They are a free one off advice and referral centre. They do not conduct Court representation or ongoing case work, unless the case work is approved in exceptional circumstances.
Not for Profit Law is a specialist legal service for community organisations and is a program of Justice Connect.
They provide free or low cost, practical legal help for not for profit community organisations and advocates for improved standards and legal frameworks.
The Attorney-General’s Department may provide legal financial assistance for parents or guardians whose children are being retained in another country, by another person, without their consent.
Applications can be made to the department for grants to cover:
- the overseas legal costs of obtaining a court order for the return of a child to Australia
- flights for the return of a child to Australia
- flights for people who are required to attend overseas legal proceedings or to escort a child back to Australia.
The department cannot cover:
- costs for access or visitation with a child
- any Australian legal costs.
The department will not, generally, cover the cost of any legal fees or expenses incurred before an application is made or if the applicant meet the cost without incurring serious financial difficulty.
More information regarding legal financial assistance for overseas child abduction can be found at our website; http://www.ag.gov.au/LegalSystem/Legalaidprogrammes/Commonwealthlegalfinancialassistance/Pages/Overseaschildabduction
You can contact the Department via the below means:
Telephone (within Australia): 1800 117 995
Telephone (outside Australia): +61 2 6141 4770
Email: finass@ag.gov.au
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) provides criminal and civil law services to the State of Tasmania.
The DPP represents the State of Tasmania.
