Legal assistance for people engaging with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability has been established to inquire and make recommendations on all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability.

To find out more about their work or to make a submission, visit the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability website.

We administer legal assistance mechanisms for the Royal Commission. This includes:

National legal advisory service

Funded by the Australian Government, National Legal Aid (NLA) and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) are delivering the Your Story Disability Legal Support.

Your Story Disability Legal Support is free, independent and separate from the Royal Commission.

You can contact Your Story Disability Legal Support on 1800 77 1800 (9am-5pm AEST Monday to Friday excluding Queensland public holidays) or at the Contact Us page to access free, independent legal advice as part of your interactions with the Disability Royal Commission.

Your Story Disability Legal Support logo

The legal service provides legal information and advice:

  • over the phone
  • by skype or videoconference
  • face-to-face where possible

Your Story Disability Legal Support can only give legal advice about individual matters. It cannot help organisations (e.g. advocacy groups, non-government organisations and residential facilities) or people appearing on behalf of an organisation.

Your Story Disability Legal Support will not pass your information to the Royal Commission unless you agree.

More information about Your Story Disability Legal Support is available at Your Story Disability Legal Support website.

The Australian Government is funding legal financial assistance to individuals and entities to assist with meeting the costs of legal representation and disbursements associated with engaging with the Royal Commission.

Eligibility for legal financial assistance

Legal financial assistance may be provided to an entity, as defined below, for their reasonable legal representation and disbursement costs resulting from:

  • being called, or granted leave to appear, as a witness at a hearing of the Royal Commission, or
  • being requested to attend, or attending an interview of the Royal Commission, or
  • complying with a notice to give information or a statement in writing that will be used as evidence in the Royal Commission, and/or
  • complying with a notice to produce issued by the Royal Commission, and
  • where the entity, excluding an individual, would not able to meet these costs without incurring serious financial hardship.

An 'entity' can be a person who is an employee or former employee of any 'disability service' who is not representing their employer.

If your organisation has been called by the Royal Commission, the organisation will be subject to an assessment of whether it can meet the cost of its legal representation without incurring serious financial difficulty. If you have been called in your personal capacity, you will be exempt from an assessment of financial circumstances.

How to apply

Applications can be submitted by downloading the application form below, and emailing completed forms to finass@ag.gov.au with the required attachments:

Is a criminal history check required?

A criminal history check is not required.

What financial information does the organisation need to provide?

The organisation must provide full details of the applicant's financial circumstances, including annual income from all sources, total value of assets and total balance of savings/shares. Supporting documentation, such as the last six months of bank statements, latest tax assessments, and/or annual financial statements should be attached to the application. All information provided to the department is treated in confidence.

What costs are covered?

The department will pay for reasonable legal representation and disbursement costs that you incur as a witness for the Royal Commission. These could include your solicitor's costs (such as attendance or preparation of documents) and disbursements (such as solicitor's travel, photocopying).

The Assessment of Costs provides detailed information of what is payable and at what rate.

More information about financial assistance is set out below in the Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012: Addendum for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

Sending your application

You can scan and email your completed application with supporting documents to finass@ag.gov.au.

If you cannot send your application by email, please telephone Legal Financial Assistance Casework on 02 6141 4770 or 1800 117 995 between 8.30am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment contact us through the National Relay Service and give 02 6141 4770 as the number you would like to call.

Assessment timeframes

Completed applications will be assessed within 21 days. Incomplete applications will not be assessed. You will be notified if your application is incomplete, and requested to provide missing information.

If you receive less than 21 days' notice of appearing or attending an interview at the Royal Commission, the department will try to assess your application before the date of your appearance.

How are payments made

If a grant is approved, the department will only pay after the work has been performed, and a claim has been made to the department. The Commonwealth Assessment of Costs (2012) sets the maximum amount that the department can pay under grants:

Legal framework

The Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012 (the Guidelines) establish the Royal Commission and Inquiries scheme:

The operation of the Guidelines is modified by the Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012: Addendum for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability:

Further information

For further information, please refer to the Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012 and the Addendum for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

Legal Financial Assistance Casework is available on the telephone numbers 02 6141 4770 or 1800 117 995 (between 8:30am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday) or by email at finass@ag.gov.au.

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment contact us through the National Relay Service and give 02 6141 4770 as the number you would like to call.

Other assistance available for people engaging with the Royal Commission

Office of the Royal Commission

National Counselling and Referral Services

The Australian Government is funding free and independent counselling and advocacy support for people engaging with or affected by the Royal Commission. Information about support can be found on the Department of Social Services website.

Community based support services

The Attorney-General's Department acknowledges topics of the Royal Commission may cause distress to people wishing to participate. If you feel that you or someone you know is at risk of harm to themselves or others, please call:

  • Lifeline Crisis Support on 13 11 14 (24 hours/7 days),
  • Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or
  • In an emergency, call 000.

Downloads

Contact details

Legal Financial Assistance Casework
02 6141 4770 or 1800 117 995
finass@ag.gov.au

Related links

Your Story Disability Legal Support
Disability Royal Commission support services
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with …

Legislation

Royal Commission Act 1902