Expectations, Complaints and Compliments

Expectations, Complaints and Compliments

The LGBTI Legal Service Inc (the Service) is committed to providing high-quality services.

What you can expect from us

  • We will explain our Service and how you can use it.
  • We will discuss with you your problem and help you to understand and make decisions about your options.
  • We will provide accurate and appropriate information and advice within our areas of expertise.
  • We will provide you with information about other services that might be able to assist you.
  • We will provide advice in plain language that you can understand.
  • We will respect you and your culture.
  • We will work through an interpreter where appropriate.
  • If you are concerned about your safety, we will discuss this with you.
  • We respect your right to privacy and confidentiality and comply with the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). We will not give anybody else any of your personal and sensitive information unless we have your consent or are required to do so by law. We are required to provide statistical information about our services to our funding bodies; however, your personal information and details of your legal problem will not be included.
  • You have a right to request access to any personal information we collect from you.

What we cannot do

  • We cannot give advice to more than one party in a dispute.
  • We will not provide a second opinion.
  • We will not give advice on taxation, immigration, Native Title, personal injury or medical negligence, or complex matters requiring specialist advice.
  • We cannot prepare wills or initiate guardianship processes.
  • We are unable to give advice on building disputes.
  • We will not give advice to small businesses.
  • We will not represent you at Court in most cases.
  • We are unable to spend more time with you than has been allocated. Our advice times are limited and cannot be extended.

Conflict of interest

The Service is unable to advise both parties engaged in a legal dispute. A conflict of interest can arise if we have previously advised the other party you have named, or we have advised someone else who has named you as the other party in a dispute. To identify a potential conflict of interest, we check our computer records before offering an appointment to you and again when you arrive at the Service.

For this reason, our client intake form asks you to identify your full name and date of birth, any previous names, as well as the full name (eg: Thomas Scott Smith) and, if available, the date of birth of the party with whom you are in conflict. If you are in dispute with a corporation, you should provide the name of the corporation. If we identify a potential conflict of interest, we will advise you immediately and refer you to another Community Legal Centre, Legal Aid or a private solicitor.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Making a complaint or giving a compliment

You have a right to make a complaint or give a compliment about:

  • any information given or action taken by a staff member or volunteer of the Service;
  • the personal behaviour of a staff member or volunteer of the Service; and
  • the physical amenities or administration of the Service.

If you have any questions, concerns, wish to make a complaint or would like to give a compliment, you call or write to us using the details on our Contact Us page.