Legal advice and referral services

Seek legal advice early

If you need immediate protection from family violence, call Victoria Police on 000. The police have the power to issue a Family Violence Safety Notice in emergency and outside of court hours.

Victoria Legal Aid

Victoria Legal Aid provides legal advice and assistance to persons who qualify for their services. VLA can be contacted on 1300 792 387 from 9am to 5pm each weekday. VLA provides free legal advice and assistance to persons who qualify for their services due to financial hardship. VLA can be contacted on 1300 792 387 from 9am to 5pm each weekday. They also provide a Duty Solicitor at Court who can assist people attending a Court hearing. It is advisable to arrive at Court early if you wish to speak to the Duty Solicitor.

VLA also has free information on their website on a host of topics including COVID-19; Family Violence Intervention Orders, Parenting Orders and child contact, separation, divorce and marriage annulment.

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

Family Court staff will be available to provide telephone support from 8.30am to 5pm each week day on 1300 352 000 or via a Live Chat on their website at www.familycourt.gov.au

The Court also operates an after-hours service limited to circumstances where there is a real risk of a child being removed from Australia before the next working day, or a lawyer believes there is a risk of dissipation of assets before the next working day.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia is open to the public each day between 8.45am and 4.30pm, however some operations of the Court have changed since COVID-19, including some hearings occurring remotely via Microsoft Teams, and the Court encourages initial contact via telephone or Live Chat.

Gordon Legal

Gordon Legal has expert knowledge and experience in family violence matters and can provide advice in relation to intervention orders. Gordon Legal offers a fee paying service and extends a 15% discount on their usual fees to union members and their families. They charge a fixed fee, not per hour, so you have certainty about what fees you are likely to incur. 

Call 1800 21 22 23, 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Or email enquiries@gordonlegal.com.au and they will be in touch within 24 hours.

Housing support and financial assistance

Tenants Victoria

If you have a police-issued Family Violence Safety Notice or a full Family Violence Intervention Order, one of the conditions will be that the person accused of the violence be excluded from the family home.

It will be a breach of the order and a criminal offence for that person to enter the home. For renters, the Tenants Union of Victoria can provide advice about how to have the locks changed, receive consideration for rental arrears and have people using violence removed from a lease.

Further information can be found via the Tenants Union of Victoria website

Family Violence Flexible Support Package (FSP)

The Victorian State Government provides support packages to assist victims/survivors experiencing family violence by providing financial support to stabilise and improve their safety in a crisis or post- crisis situation.

Funding is available either through Victims of Crime funding or a Family Violence Flexible Support Package (FSP). Funding maybe used to pay for items and services such as tech safety advice, surveillance sweeps of cars and premises, personal safety alarms, CCTV cameras, deadlocks.

An application form must be completed and lodged by a case manager of a specialist support service on behalf of a client. Further information can be obtained by contacting Family Safety Victoria on 03 9194 3100 or by visiting their website.

Victims of Crime compensation

To obtain advice about reporting a crime, the Victims of Crime court process or accessing other services as a victim of crime, including applying for compensation and financial assistance, call 1800 819 817 between 8:00am-11:00pm, 7 days per week, or text 0427 767 891.

Further information can also be found on the Victims of Crime website.

Gordon Legal offer comprehensive legal advice in relation to family law matters including:

  • care arrangements for children
  • parental responsibility
  • family violence intervention orders
  • spousal support/ child support
  • property settlements
  • divorce

If you are experiencing family violence with a current or former partner, Gordon Legal’s family law accredited specialist is available to provide practical family law advice to help you protect you and your children.

Please call 1800 21 22 23

This information was provided by Gordon Legal

Call Gordon Legal on 1800 21 22 23, 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday

Or email enquiries@gordonlegal.com.au and they will be in touch within 24 hours.