Safety and help

Sometimes, the fastest way to get the information or help you need is to call someone.

On this page

Disaster support

To get help in an emergency or disaster situation:

Visit Recovery Connect

For information about Local Government Areas which have been declared natural disasters and how to apply for disaster recovery payments:

Visit Disaster Assist

For information about natural disaster payments and help for people directly affected by bushfires, floods or other natural disasters:

Visit Services Australia

Find disaster recovery services and support in your area:

Visit the National Emergency Management Agency

Safety

1800RESPECT

If you are experiencing, or at risk of, domestic, family or sexual violence please call 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.

The Sunny App is also available to support people with disability recognise violence and abuse, understand their rights and take action to protect their safety.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

If you have a concern or complaint about the NDIS call 1800 035 544

Visit the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission website

eSafety Commissioner

Find the latest information to help you manage online safety issues including abuse and violence

Visit the eSafety Commissioner website

WWDA – Our Site

This Women with Disability Australia (WWDA) site has information about what violence against women is and how to get help if you need it

Visit the Our Site website

Disability Workforce Support

Help for health professionals and disability support workers to respond effectively to people with disability who have experienced sexual assault

Visit Laurel House - Disability Workforce Support

The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline

The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline (The Hotline), is a free, independent and confidential service for dealing with and reporting abuse and neglect of people with disability.

Call the Hotline on 1800 880 052 or visit the Hotline website for more information

If you want help with getting information about disability in other languages:

Multilingual Information Access (MiAccess)

MiAccess can support access to the NDIS for people whose first language is not English

Visit MiAccess for more information

Mental health support

If you are in crisis, anxious or depressed and want to talk with someone:

Lifeline

Call 13 11 14 (for anyone)

Visit the Lifeline website

Beyond Blue

Call 1300 224 636 (for anyone)

Visit the Beyond Blue website

Suicide Call Back Service

Call 1300 659 467 (for anyone)

Visit the Suicide Call Back Service website

Kids Helpline

Call 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)

Visit the Kids Helpline website

Mensline Australia

Call 1300 789 978 (for men)

Visit the Mensline Australia website

Blue Knot Foundation

Call 1800 421 468 to speak with a trauma counsellor or for support with applications around national redress

Visit the Blue Knot Foundation’s website

Veterans and Families Counselling

Call 1800 011 046 (for veterans)

Visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs website

SANE Australia

SANE provides ongoing mental health support for people 18+ with complex mental health, their families and carers, the autistic community and those with intellectual disability seeking mental health support.

Call 1800 187 263 or visit the SANE Australia website to get support

13YARN

13YARN is a national service for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people in crisis. They offer a confidential one-on-one over the phone yarning opportunity and support with a trained Lifeline Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.

Call 13YARN (13 92 76)

Visit the 13YARN website for more information

If you are grieving:

If you need urgent mental health care:

Australian Capital Territory

Call the Mental Health Triage Service on 1800 629 354

New South Wales

Call the Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511

Northern Territory

Call the Crisis Assessment Telephone Triage Service on 1800 682 288

South Australia

Call the Mental Health Triage Service on 13 14 65

Tasmania

Call the Mental Health Services Helpline on 1800 332 388

Victoria

Visit the Mental Health Services website to choose the service for your region

If you need emergency respite:

Carer Gateway

Call 1800 422 737 (for carers)

Visit the Carer Gateway website

Veterans' Home Care Assessment Agency

Call 1300 550 450 (for veterans)

Visit the Veterans' Home Care Assessment Agency website

Help with addiction, money or legal issues

Directline

If you want help with drug or alcohol addiction

Call 1800 888 236

Visit the DirectLine website

Gambling Help

If you want help with gambling addiction

Call 1800 888 236

Visit the Gambling Help website

National Debt Helpline

If you are in debt or financial trouble

Call 1800 007 007

Visit the National Debt Helpline website

If you need legal help:

Australian Capital Territory

Call Legal Aid ACT on 1300 654 314

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New South Wales

Call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529

South Australia

Call the Legal Services Commission of South Australia on 1300 366 424

Western Australia

Call Legal Aid Western Australia on 1300 650 579

You can also look at...

Emergency contacts if you need help straight away.

Safety and help

A woman talking on the phone. Above her is an information icon and a support icon.

Sometimes, calling someone is the fastest way to get:

  • information
  • support.

We have included a list of people you can call below.

If you need help straight away, please visit the Emergency contacts page.

Safety

A man talking on the phone. Above him is an icon of a person exercising and a brain.

You might want to talk to someone about the way you are feeling in your:

  • body – your physical health
  • mind – your mental health.

Abuse or neglect

A man trying to talk to a woman but the woman has turned away and is not listening.

Abuse is when someone treats you badly.

Neglect is when someone is not helping you the way they are supposed to help you.

If you want to report abuse or neglect, you can call the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline on 1800 880 052.

Domestic violence

Fist icon for violence

If you want help with domestic violence, you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

You can visit the 1800RESPECT website for more information.

Violence

A woman supporting another woman with a fist icon for violence and a question mark next to them

You can visit the Safety and Violence page of the Our Site website for more information about:

  • what violence is
  • how to get help if you need it.

There is also an Easy Read version of the OurSite website.

Staying safe online

2 women using a laptop together with icons for information and security next to them

You can visit the eSafety Commissioner website if you want information about:

  • how to stay safe online
  • how to keep your information private
  • how to get help if someone is bullying you online.

The eSafety Commissioner website also has a page with Easy Read information about how to stay safe online.

Mental health support

A man talking on the phone. Above him is an icon of a person exercising and a brain.

You might want to talk to someone about the way you are feeling in your mind – your mental health.

Anxious or depressed

A woman looking out of the window in her bedroom.

If something makes you anxious, it makes you worried or afraid.

When you are depressed, you are sad all the time and there is no sign of the sadness ending.

You can talk to someone about being anxious or depressed, such as:

If you are aged 5 to 25 years old, you can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800

If you are a man, you can call Mensline Australia on 1300 789 978

If you are a veteran, you can call Veterans and Families Counselling on 1800 011 046

Losing a loved one

Two people hugging each other at a funeral.

You might want to talk to someone if you have lost a loved one.

You can call Griefline on 1300 845 745

Mental health care

An icon of Australia with an arrow around it, there is a tick in each state and territory. Above it is an icon of three people and an office building.

If you need mental health care, there is an organisation in each state and territory.

Australian Capital Territory

Phone icon.

In Australian Capital Territory you can call the Mental Health Triage Service on 1800 629 354

New South Wales

Phone icon.

In New South Wales you can call the Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511

Northern Territory

Phone icon.

In Northern Territory you can call the Crisis Assessment Telephone Triage Service on 1800 682 288

Queensland

Phone icon.

In Queensland you can call the Mental health access line on 1300 642 255

South Australia

Phone icon.

In South Australia you can call the Mental Health Triage Service on 13 14 65

Tasmania

Phone icon.

In Tasmania you can call the Mental Health Services Helpline on 1800 332 388

Victoria

Phone icon.

In Victoria you can find a service near you on the Mental Health Services website at www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealthservices

Western Australia

Phone icon.

In Western Australia you can call the Mental Health Emergency Response Line on 1800 676 822

Emergency respite

A woman sitting on a sofa with a cup of tea.

Respite is when someone else takes care of a person so that their carer can have a break.

If you are a carer, you can call the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737

If you are a veteran, you can call the Veteran's Home Care Assessment Agency on 1300 550 450

Help with addiction, money or legal issues

Two women talking on the phone with each other. Above them is an icon of a document, a speech bubble and a change icon.

You might need:

  • help to change something in your life
  • to talk about something that is happening.

Drug or alcohol addiction

Hands holding an alcohol bottle, a cigarette and some pills.

When you have an addiction, you can't stop doing something even though you want to stop.

If you want help with drug or alcohol addiction, you can call DirectLine on 1800 888 236.

Gambling addiction

Phone icon.

If you want help with a gambling addiction, you can call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858.

Debt

A man looking at his empty wallet.

When you have debt, you owe money to someone else.

If you need help with debt or money problems, you can call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.

Legal help

A man standing with a lawyer behind him.

Legal help could include if you:

  • need a lawyer
  • want advice about a legal problem.

If you need legal help, there is an organisation in each state and territory.

Australian Capital Territory

Phone icon.

In Australian Capital Territory you can call Legal Aid ACT on 1300 654 314

New South Wales

Phone icon.

In New South Wales you can call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529

Northern Territory

Phone icon.

In Northern Territory you can call the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission on 1800 019 343

Queensland

Phone icon.

In Queensland you can call Legal Aid Queensland on 1300 651 188

South Australia

Phone icon.

In South Australia you can call the Legal Services Commission of South Australia on 1300 366 424

Tasmania

Phone icon.

In Tasmania you can call Legal Aid Tasmania on 1300 792 387

Victoria

Phone icon.

In Victoria you can call Victoria Legal Aid on 1300 792 387

Western Australia

Phone icon.

In Western Australia you can call Legal Aid Western Australia on 1300 650 579.