National Anti-Corruption Commission General Scheme
The National Anti-Corruption Commission General Scheme funds the reasonable costs of legal representation for persons appearing at a hearing of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (the Commission) and persons who are making, or proposing to make, an application for administrative review of a matter arising under the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 (the Act).
An application for legal financial assistance under this scheme will only be accepted where:
- a current or former parliamentarian has exhausted all options for assistance under the National Anti‑Corruption Commission Parliamentary Scheme, or
- a current or former employee of a non-corporate Commonwealth entity or a person currently or formerly employed as a minister’s staff member under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 has exhausted all options for assistance under Appendix E to the Legal Services Directions 2017.
Current or former officers or employees of the Australian Government or an Australian Government agency should contact the relevant employing agency for assistance in relation to Appendix E to the Legal Services Directions 2017.
Eligibility for legal financial assistance
In accordance with the National Anti-Corruption Commission Regulations 2023, we may provide legal financial assistance to:
- a person who is summoned to attend a hearing of the Commission
- a person who is not giving evidence at a hearing and is being represented at the hearing by a legal practitioner with the consent of the Commissioner
- a person who has applied, or proposes to apply, to the Federal Court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) under the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 for an order in respect of a matter arising under the Act.
Apply for assistance
To submit an application, download and complete the Application form for Legal Financial Assistance.
Scan and email your completed application with supporting documents to finass@ag.gov.au.
If you cannot send your application by email, call:
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.
Decision making on an application
Applications will be assessed according to the Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012.
The decision maker may provide a grant of legal financial assistance if they are satisfied that:
- refusing the application would result in serious financial difficulty for the person, or
- the circumstances of the case are of such a special nature that the application should be granted.
Costs that are covered
We will pay for reasonable legal representation and disbursement costs that you incur in attending a hearing of the Commission or pursuing an application for administrative review in respect of a matter arising under the Act. These could include your solicitor's costs (such as attendance or preparation of documents) and disbursements (such as solicitor's travel, photocopying).
For detailed information of what is payable and at what rate, see Commonwealth legal financial assistance - Assessment of costs.
Assessment timeframes
Complete applications will be assessed within 28 days. Incomplete applications will not be assessed. We will notify you if your application is incomplete to request missing information.
Payments process
If a grant is approved, we will only pay after the work has been performed and you have lodged a claim with us. The Commonwealth legal financial assistance - Assessment of costs sets the maximum amount that we can pay.
Find out more
Contact Legal Financial Assistance Casework:
- call 02 6141 4770 or 1800 117 995 (between 8:30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday)
- email 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.
Information about the scheme is also available on the National Anti-Corruption Commission website.