Disaster Legal Helpline
Contact
General
In the event of an emergency, please call 000.
VicEmergency Hotline
Provides information during and after major incidents in Victoria. It also offers information to help householders, landowners and small businesses plan for and recover from emergencies.
Tel: 1800 226 226, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm
www.emergency.vic.gov.au
Country Fire Authority (CFA)
Volunteer and community-based fire and emergency services organisation. Find the contact details of your Region's District Headquarters at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/contact/.
Department of Human Services (DHS)
For registration and help from a case manager.
Tel: 132 850 (Exceptional Circumstances Relief Help), Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
Tel: 132 316 (Farmer Assistance), Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/crisis-and-special-help
Disaster Assist
Information on assistance for current and previous disasters that have impacted Australians, including up-to-date public information messages, relevant free call numbers, information on Australian Government assistance packages and links to other relevant websites.
Legal
Disaster Legal Helpline
Provides legal information, advice and referrals for people affected by natural disasters.
Tel: 1800 113 432, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm
Federation of Community Legal Centres
Community legal centres provide free or low-cost legal advice. To find a community legal centre near you (including rural and regional areas), or a specialist community legal centre.
Tel: (03) 9652 1500, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
https://www.fclc.org.au/
Law Institute of Victoria
Call the Law Institute of Victoria's Legal Referral Service for referral to a lawyer near you. All referrals are to Law Institute of Victoria members who have agreed to speak to clients for up to the first 30 minutes free of charge.
Tel: (03) 9607 9550, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
www.liv.asn.au/find-a-lawyer
Victoria Legal Aid
Free legal information over the phone and legal advice and representation in courts and tribunals.
Tel: 1300 792 387, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm
www.legalaid.vic.gov.au
Counselling and support
Nurse-On-Call
Tel: 1300 606 024, seven days, 24 hours
www.health.vic.gov.au/nurseoncall
Beyond Blue
Tel: 1300 224 636, seven days, 24 hours
www.beyondblue.org.au
Lifeline
Tel: 131 114, seven days, 24 hours
Online chat: seven days, 7 pm to 4 am
www.lifeline.org.au
Griefline
For confidential counseling for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one.
Tel: (03) 9935 7400 (Melbourne) or 1300 845 745 (landline), seven days, 12 pm to 3 am
www.griefline.org.au
Parentline
Offers telephone counselling service to parents and carers of children aged from birth to 18 years old.
Tel: 132 289, seven days, 8 am to 12 am
Kids Helpline
For children and young people. Offering telephone counselling, email counselling or web counselling, and where to get help in your local area.
Tel: 1800 551 800, seven days, 24 hours
www.kidshelpline.com.au
Translation and hearing impaired services
Interpreters – Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS)
To speak to someone in your own language, call the number and ask the interpreter to put you through to the service you need. This service is free for most government and community organisations that you are calling.
Tel: 131 450, seven days, 24 hours
www.tisnational.gov.au
Hearing impaired – National Relay Service (NRS)
If you are hearing impaired, call these numbers for help. This service is free.
Tel: 133 677 (TTY) and 1300 555 727 (speak and listen), seven days, 24 hours
www.relayservice.gov.au