Contacts and Resources

Contributed by Rosemary Budavari and Farzana Choudhury, Canberra Community Law and current to July 2021

Commonwealth Government Services and Programs

Australian Human Rights Commission

Investigates and provides conciliation for discrimination complaints, including disability discrimination complaints. Incorporates the office of the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Commissioner. The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Commissioner works to develop strategies to address issues facing people with disability including issues relating to:

• the criminal justice system;
• education;
• employment;
• housing;
• the NDIS; and
• violence against people with disability.

National Information Service: 1300 656 419 or 02 9284 988810:00 am to 1:30 pm Monday to Friday
Email: infoservice@humanrights.gov.au
Website: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/
Complaint form link: https://humanrights.gov.au/complaints/make-complaint

Commonwealth Ombudsman

The Commonwealth Ombudsman can investigate complaints about actions and decisions of Commonwealth Government agencies, including:

• the National Disability Insurance Agency (‘NDIA’), the agency which administers the National Disability Insurance Scheme (‘NDIS’) and NDIS Partners in the Community;
• the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

If the Ombudsman finds that a complaint is justified, they will provide a report to the person who made the complaint and to the agency concerned. They may recommend that the agency:

• reconsider or change its action or decision;
• that a law, rule or procedure should be changed; and/or;
• that the agency should take any other action that is appropriate in the circumstances, for example, paying compensation for financial loss.

The Ombudsman cannot override the decisions of agencies, or compel them to comply with their recommendations. However, agencies generally do accept the Ombudsman's recommendations. If they do not, and the Ombudsman considers that it is in the public interest to do so, they can make a formal report to the relevant minister, the Prime Minister, or the Parliament.

Contact number: 1300 362 072 10:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday
Complaint form link: https://forms.business.gov.au/smartforms/servlet/SmartForm.html?formCode=oco-complaint-form
Website: http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/

Disability Employment Services, Job Access

Disability Employment Services (DES) are both for profit and not for profit organisations which assist people with disability to find and keep jobs.

Disability Employment Services has two parts:

• Disability Management Service is for job seekers with disability, injury or health condition who need assistance to find a job and occasional support in the workplace to keep a job.
• Employment Support Service provides assistance to job seekers with permanent disability to find a job and who need regular, ongoing support in the workplace to keep a job.

Online enquiry form: https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/contacts/online-enquiry-form
Website: https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/

National Disability Advocacy Program

The National Disability Advocacy Program funds agencies to provide disability advocacy support in specific geographic areas. Funded agencies can also assist with reviews of NDIA decisions.

Funded agencies in the ACT are the ACT Disability Aged and Carers Advocacy Service (ADACAS) and Advocacy for Inclusion.

National Disability Insurance Agency

The National Disability Insurance Agency provides support for Australians with disability, their families and carers.
Contact number: 1800 800 110 8am to 11pm, Monday to Friday
Online contact form: https://www.ndis.gov.au/form/contact-form.html
Website: https://www.ndis.gov.au/

National Disability Coordination Officer Program

Assists people with disability to access and participate in tertiary education and subsequent employment, through a national network of regionally based NDCOs.
Contact number: 03 6055 6924 (NSW/ACT) 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday
Email: ndco@dese.gov.au
Website: https://www.dese.gov.au/access-and-participation/ndco#:~:text=The%20National%20Disability%20Coordination%20Officer%20%28NDCO%29%20Program%20seeks,building%20their%20capability%20to%20support%20people%20with%20disability

National Disability Recruitment Coordinator

The National Disability Recruitment Coordinator works with employers across Australia to develop job opportunities for people with disability by increasing the knowledge of employers about:

• the support available through Disability Employment Services;
• implementation of disability employment practices; and,
• disability awareness training for staff.

Contact number: 1800 464 800 (JobAccess hotline) 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday
Online enquiry form: https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/contacts/online-enquiry-form
Website: https://www.jobs.gov.au/national-disability-recruitment-coordinator

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is an independent agency established to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. It regulates the NDIS market, provides national consistency, promotes safety and quality services, resolves problems and identifies areas for improvement. It started operating on 1 July 2018 and people from NSW and South Australia are able to contact it directly. People in the ACT will be able to contact it from 1 July 2019.

Contact number: 1800 035 544 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday

Online complaint form:https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/participants/complaints

Website: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/

ACT Government

ACT Office for Disability

The ACT Office for Disability provides strategic advice provides strategic advice to government and community to create an inclusive Canberra so that people with disability are able to fully enjoy their rights as citizens of the ACT.

Contact number: (02) 6207 1086 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday
Email: OfficeforDisability@act.gov.au
Website: http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/disability_act

ACT Human Rights Commission

The ACT Human Rights Commission provides an independent, fair and accessible process to resolve complaints, including discrimination complaints and complaints about community, disability and health services. It also promotes human rights.

It includes the offices of the Health Services, Discrimination, Disability and Community Services Commissioner and the Public Advocate. Contact number: (02) 6205 2222 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: human.rights@act.gov.au
Website: http://hrc.act.gov.au/

ACT Health Services, Discrimination, Disability and Community Services Commissioner

The ACT Health Services, Discrimination, Disability and Community Services Commissioner ('the ACT Commissioner') deals with discrimination complaints and complaints about community, and disability and health services.

The ACT Commissioner may consider and provide conciliation for discrimination complaints, including disability discrimination complaints. Conciliation is a process which involves a meeting between the person making the complaint and the person or organisation complained about, which tries to resolve the complaint with the assistance of a conciliator. If they cannot resolve a discrimination complaint through conciliation, the person making the complaint may ask the ACT Discrimination Commissioner to refer it to ACAT for determination.

The ACT Commissioner may also consider and provide conciliation for complaints disability services (including abuse, neglect or exploitation of a person with disability), and health services (including health records) in the ACT. If they cannot resolve such complaints through conciliation, they can provide a report to the person making the complaint and the person or organisation complained about. They may also provide a 'third party report' to a relevant Minister; an employer; or an institution where services are provided by the person or organisation complained about.

The ACT Commissioner is also involved in legislative reform and policy development affecting groups in the community and works with other organisations and agencies to promote the rights of these groups.

Contact number: (02) 6205 2222 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: human.rights@act.gov.au
Website: http://hrc.act.gov.au/

ACT Public Advocate

The ACT Public Trustee and Guardian can provide guardianship and financial management services for people with disability where an individual is not available to do so. They can also represent people with disability at hearings in guardianship applications by individuals and can also investigate complaints about individual guardians and managers.
Contact number: (02) 6205 2222 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: human.rights@act.gov.au
Website: http://hrc.act.gov.au/public-advocate/

ACT Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is an independent and impartial officer appointed to investigate complaints from individuals who have been unable to resolve problems with ACT Government agencies. The ACT Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the actions and decisions of ACT Directorates and authorities. If a complaint is found to be justified, the Ombudsman may provide a report to the relevant Directorate or authority with recommendations including that they reconsider or change a decision; change their rules or procedures; apologise; or where appropriate, pay compensation for losses caused by their decision or action.

The Ombudsman cannot override the decisions of ACT Directorates or authorities, or compel them to comply with their recommendations. However, agencies generally do accept the Ombudsman's recommendations. If they do not, and the Ombudsman considers that it is in the public interest to do so, they can make a formal report to the relevant Minister, the ACT Chief Minister or the Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Contact number: 1300 362 072 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au
Website: http://www.ombudsman.act.gov.au/

ACT Public Trustee and Guardian

The ACT Public Trustee and Guardian provides several services including guardianship and financial management services in the ACT.
Contact number: 02 6207 9800 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday
Online contact form: https://www.ptg.act.gov.au/contact
Website: https://www.ptg.act.gov.au/

ACT Official Visitors

The Official Visitors for the Disability Services Act and the Mental Health Act can inspect disability, mental health and certain aged care and correctional facilities. They can also take complaints from people receiving services at such facilities and provide reports to the relevant Minister; relevant Director-General; the Public Advocate and the Official Visitors Board. They also provide annual reports which are tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Contact number: 1800 150 036 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: publictrustee@act.gov.au
Website: https://www.ptg.act.gov.au/resources/visitor-scheme

ACT Legal Aid Commission

The Legal Aid Commission's function is to provide legal assistance in the Australian Capital Territory. Legal assistance includes legal information and advice, duty lawyer services, and grants of financial assistance for legal matters. Legal Aid can provide legal assistance in relation to NDIS matters.
Contact number: 1300 654 314 (Legal Aid Helpline) 8.30am to 7.00pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 5.00pm Friday.
Email: legalaid@legalaidact.org.au
Website: http://www.legalaidact.org.au/

Community Organisations

ACT Disability, Aged and Carers Advocacy Service

ADACAS provides free independent advocacy in the ACT for people with disabilities, older people and their carers.
Contact number: (02) 6242 5060 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: adacas@adacas.org.au
Website: http://www.adacas.org.au/

ACT Advance Care Planning Program

Advance care planning (ACP) is a series of steps you can take to help a person plan for future health care. The ACP Program provides guidance with this process.
Contact number: (02) 5124 9274
Email: acp@act.gov.au

Website: https://www.health.act.gov.au/services/advance-care-planning

ACT Mental Health Consumer Network

The ACT Mental Health Consumer Network represents the interests of mental health consumers in the ACT in policy and decision-making forums and is committed to social justice and the inclusion of people with experience of mental illness.
Contact number: 02 6230 5796 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: actmhcn@actmhcn.org.au
Website: http://www.actmhcn.org.au/

Advance Care Planning Australia

Advance Care Planning Australia is a national program that provides information and resources to individuals, care workers and healthcare professionals to improve the cooperation between individuals, their families, care workers and health professionals as well as community organisations and healthcare organisations
Contact number: 1300 208 582
Information on creating an advance care plan in the ACT: https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/create-your-plan/create-your-plan-act

Website: https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/

Advocacy for Inclusion

Advocacy for Inclusion provides independent individual, self and systemic advocacy for people with disabilities.
Contact number: (02) 6257 4005 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: info@advocacyforinclusion.org
Website: http://www.advocacyforinclusion.org/

Carers ACT

Carers ACT offer a range of supports and services for carers which also includes counselling and advocacy.
Contact number: 1800 422 737 or (02) 6296 99009.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: carers@carersact.org.au
Website: https://www.carersact.org.au/

Disability Discrimination Law, Canberra Community Law

Disability Discrimination Law provides free, independent and confidential legal assistance in disability discrimination law for people living in the ACT.
Contact number: 02 6218 7900 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday
Email: info@canberracommunitylaw.org.au.
Website: http://www.canberracommunitylaw.org.au/disability-discrimination-law.html

Women with Disabilities ACT

Women with Disabilities ACT is a systemic advocacy and peer support organisation for women with disabilities in the ACT and surrounding region.
Contact number: 0468 324 695 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: info@wwdact.org.au
Online enquiry form: https://www.wwdact.org.au/contact-us/
Website: https://www.wwdact.org.au/s