The Temporary Visa Program (TVP) supports women who are living in Australia on a temporary visa and experiencing domestic violence.
Women’s Legal Service Queensland can provide legal and social support through the TVP. For example, we might be able to support you with family law, domestic violence and migration law issues.
Domestic violence is when someone close to you hurts you or threatens to hurt you. This person could be:
• your partner or ex-partner
• a family member
• an unpaid carer, who is also a family member or friend.
Australian states and territories have different legal definitions of domestic violence. Under the Migration Regulations domestic violence includes when someone close to you:
• hurts or threatens you, your family, your partner or ex-partner’s family
• threatens to damage things you own
• makes you feel worried or unsafe.
The Migration Regulations apply across Australia.
You can find more information in our factsheet about domestic violence.
If you have separated from your sponsor because of domestic violence, you might be able to apply for permanent residency. This means you can live in Australia permanently if your application is approved.
You can apply under family violence rules in the Migration Regulations. These rules apply no matter where you live in Australia.
You might be able to apply if you:
• were in a genuine and ‘continuing’ relationship until you separated
• are on a temporary partner visa or you have applied for a permanent partner visa.
You should ask for legal advice as this may impact your visa status and there are timeframes you must follow.
You might also be able to apply for a domestic violence order (DVO) to protect you and your children. A DVO is a legal order that a Magistrates Court can make. It tells the person you want protection from that they are not allowed to do certain things or behave in certain ways.
Applying for a DVO may impact your visa status. You should ask for legal advice before you apply for a DVO.
If you are on a partner visa pathway and have children with your ex-sponsor, you might be able to apply for a permanent partner visa.
You might be able to apply if:
• your ex-sponsor is an Australian citizen
• you have separated because of domestic or family violence
• you have applied for a partner visa
• you are on a temporary partner visa
• you have a shared parenting arrangement with your ex-sponsor for the care of your children.
You should ask for legal advice to talk about your options as soon as possible.
A parenting arrangement is a plan for how you and your ex-sponsor will care for your children after you separate.
You can find more information in our factsheet about parenting arrangements after you separate.
We can give you advice if you have experienced domestic violence but don’t meet the criteria to apply for permanent residency under the family violence rules.
We can give you advice about other options, including applying:
• for a parent visa or protection visa
• to get the Minister for Immigration involved.
We might be able to give you a referral to get specialist advice and support from the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS). For example, if the legal assistance you need is only for immigration issues. RAILS offers free immigration legal support for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. They might be able to refer you for advice to get a visa through your job.
Our other teams might also be able to help you if you only need legal support with:
• family law
• domestic violence law.
You should ask for legal advice to talk about your options as soon as possible.
Note: We’ve changed the personal details of the people in this case study to keep their information private and confidential.
Linda came to Australia on a temporary student visa.
While living in Australia, Linda started dating Steve who is an Australian citizen. Steve sponsored Linda for her partner visa.
A few years later Linda and Steve had a child together.
Some years after their child was born, Linda wanted to separate from Steve because she feared for her and her child’s safety.
Steve didn’t let Linda make friends, speak with her family overseas, or work.
He also controlled all the family’s finances.
He also threatened to:
• physically hurt her many times
• lock her in the house during the day while he went to work.
When Linda told Steve she wanted to separate, he took her passport and threatened to have her deported and take their child away from her.
The neighbours overheard this argument and called the police. The police put Linda in contact with a local domestic violence service. They got an interpreter for Linda and helped her make a safety plan.
A safety plan is a plan to keep you safe in a relationship or when you are leaving a relationship. The domestic violence service referred Linda to the TVP for legal advice.
Steve submitted documents in court asking for parenting orders. The Court makes parenting orders to choose the parenting arrangements for the care of your child.
You can find more information in our factsheet about what the Court considers when making a parenting order for your children.
We supported Linda by following the steps below.
1. We told the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) that Linda’s relationship had ended.
2. We gave proof to the DHA that Linda and Steve had a genuine relationship and a child together.
3. We supported Linda to apply for a DVO. We also helped Linda give proof to the DHA that she had experienced domestic and family violence. This helped the DHA to understand that Linda needed to be given permanent residency quickly.
4. We supported Linda to get a parenting order from the court.
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call 000.
You can contact us for support with the TVP team. Call 1800 957 957
DV Connect
You can contact DV connect for support. Call 1800 811 811
Red Cross
You can contact the Red Cross for support. Call 1800 733 276
Immigrant Women’s Support Services
You can contact Immigrant Women’s Support Services for support.
Call (07) 3846 3490
Refugee and Immigration Legal Services (RAILS)
You can contact RAILS for support. Call (07) 3846 9300
Community Legal Centres Queensland
You can contact Community Legal Centres Queensland to find local Community
Legal Centres. Call (07) 3392 0092
Legal Aid Queensland
You can contact Legal Aid Queensland for support. Call 1300 65 11 88
This factsheet includes general information only and is not a substitute for legal advice.
Rates of domestic and family violence are higher for female temporary visa holders in Australia when compared to the whole population.1 This resource sets out information to help temporary visa holders who are experiencing domestic and family violence and seeking to become permanent residents. Service providers working with female temporary visa holders should use this information to educate women on their legal options and refer them to legal services
Through the Temporary Visa Holders Experiencing Violence Program (TVP) Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ) provides eligible women with free family law and immigration legal advice. TVP is funded by the Australian Federal Government.
A client is eligible for assistance through WLSQ’s TVP team if she:
Please note meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee that a woman will receive legal advice from WLSQ’s TVP team.
If the legal assistance required by a woman on a temporary visa is limited to family law or domestic and family violence law only, she may be eligible for assistance from WLSQ outside the TVP team.
Alternatively, if a woman on a temporary visa requires legal assistance with immigration issues only, WLSQ may be able to assist with a referral for specialist migration assistance from the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS).
Temporary visas allow people to stay in Australia on a temporary basis, generally for a particular reason. For example, to study, work and/or live.
A temporary partner visa allows the holder to live, work and study in Australia, on a temporary basis. The two-stage application process is:
If the relationship ends after applying for the temporary partner visa (stage 1) but before a permanent visa is granted (stage 2), there are three potential pathways to permanent residency being granted:
Visa holders should immediately seek legal advice if they believe any of these provisions apply to their circumstances.
Through the Temporary Visa Holders Experiencing Violence Program (TVP) Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ) provides eligible women with free family law and immigration legal advice. TVP is funded by the Australian Federal Government.
Visa holders who:
1. Have applied for a partner visa (or holder of subclass 445 or dependent applicant of subclass 858) or other eligible permanent family or skilled visa; and
2. Prove that the relationship was genuine and continuing prior to separation; and
3. Provide evidence that they experienced domestic or family violence during the relationship. This can be demonstrated by providing:
a. A final domestic violence protection order, or evidence their sponsor has been convicted of or found guilty of a family violence related crime; or
b. A statutory declaration from the visa holder and two letters/ reports/ statutory declarations from professionals such as doctors, psychologists, social workers, domestic violence support workers.
The legal meaning of “family violence” is slightly different in different jurisdictions around Australia.
For the purposes of the Migration Regulations, family violence includes:
The Migration Regulations stipulate that for the purposes of the family violence provisions, the conduct must have been perpetrated by the sponsoring partner of a partner visa application, or the primary applicant of a skilled or other family visa application.
In Queensland, domestic and family violence includes behaviour from a partner, ex-partner or family member that can include:
If you are supporting a woman who may be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the family violence provisions, it is important that she receives legal advice. There are timeframes that apply.
Being named as a respondent on a DVO may lead to a character cancellation or refusal of a visa application. If you are supporting a woman on a temporary visa, who is a respondent to a DVO application, or a DVO, it is important that she receives legal advice.
These provisions apply to visa subclasses 309 or 820 holders, and to people who have applied for an 820 visa or applied for 309 visa and are onshore.
Eligibility criteria:
a. one parent (the sponsor), is an Australian citizen or permanent resident; AND
b. there is a child or children from the relationship*; AND
c. there are joint arrangements in place for the care of the child/ren; OR
d. the sponsor has child support obligations.
*The child/ren do not need to be the biological children of the sponsor or the visa holder.
If you are supporting a woman who may be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the child of the relationship pathway, it is important that she receives legal advice. There are timeframes that apply.
If a woman on a temporary visa has experienced domestic or family violence, or had a child with her sponsoring ex-partner, but her visa subclass does not fall within the scope of the provisions, these pathways to permanent residency are not available to her.
There may be other pathways available for her to stay in Australia. This will depend on her circumstances. She may be able to apply for:
It is important that you support clients to urgently seek legal advice.
In 20XX, Linda came to Australia on a temporary student visa.
While living in Australia she met and started dating Steve* who is an Australian citizen. Linda applied for a partner visa, sponsored by Steve.
Linda and Steve had a child together in 20XX.
In 20XX Linda wanted to separate from Steve because she feared for her safety and the safety of their child. This was because Steve:
When Linda told Steve she wanted to separate, he took her passport and told her he would have her deported and make sure she never saw her child again if she left him.
The neighbours overheard this argument and called the police.
The police put Linda in contact with her local DV service. The DV service arranged an interpreter and helped her to make a safety plan. A safety plan can be about putting a plan in place to stay safe in a relationship, or to stay safe when leaving a relationship. The DV service referred Linda to the TVP for legal advice.
Steve commenced proceedings in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (“FCFCOA”) seeking parenting orders.
The TVP team provided support to Linda with both her family and migration law needs, including:
1. Notifying the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) that the relationship had ended.
2. Providing evidence to the DHA of the genuineness of the relationship and that Linda and Steve had a child together.
3. Applying for a domestic violence protection order and providing evidence of the family violence Linda experienced to the DHA to support arguments that permanent residency should be granted quickly; and
4. Obtain parenting orders from the FCFCOA that set out the parenting arrangements for their child which included how much time and when the child was to spend time with Steve.
Sarah moved to Australia in 2019 on a student visa. Whilst studying in Australia, Sarah met James* and they started a relationship. They did not apply for a partner visa for Sarah because, at the time, James had not finalised his divorce with his previous partner so was not eligible to be a sponsor.
In February 2021, Sarah and James had a child together.
In January 2023, Sarah applied for and was granted a Temporary Activity Visa (subclass 408). This visa allowed her to remain in Australia until its expiry (1 year from the date when the visa was granted).
During their relationship, Sarah experienced family violence perpetrated by James. In May 2023, the police attended an incident at Sarah and James’ house and issued a police protection notice naming Sarah as the aggrieved and James as the respondent. Following this incident, Sarah and James separated and a magistrate granted a protection order to help protect Sarah.
Sarah’s visa subclass (408) does not entitle her to rely on the family violence provisions, or the child of the relationship provisions. Sarah’s options are limited. She can:
*Names and identifying information changed to maintain client privacy and confidentiality
Eligible women who receive legal advice from TVP will receive holistic support from WLSQ with:
If you or someone else you know are in immediate danger, call 000.
DV Connect – 1800 811 811
Red Cross – https://www.redcross.org.au/migration/family-and-domestic-violence-financial-assistance-program/
Immigrant Women’s Support Services – (07) 3846 3490
WLSQ Temporary Visa Program – 1800 957 957
Refugee and Immigration Legal Services (RAILS) – (07) 3846 9300
Community Legal Centres Queensland – (07) 3392 0092
Legal Aid Queensland – 1300 65 11 8
The law encourages families who are in dispute regarding the arrangements for children or the division of property to come to an agreement where possible.
Family dispute resolution (FDR) is a way of resolving your family law problems, by agreement, without going to court. It can be called ‘FDR’ or ‘mediation’.
In this process, an independent person helps to try to resolve some or all of the family law problems. The independent person is called a ‘family dispute resolution practitioner’ or ‘FDRP’ or ‘mediator’. They are trained in assisting people to resolve disputes. They do not have any legal powers, they do not make any decisions and they do not give legal advice. They simply try to assist people to reach agreement.
FDR can also be used to resolve disputes about:
FDR can be used at any time including before, during or after a separation or once court proceedings have commenced.
Before you make an application to a court for parenting orders, you must have attempted to engage in family dispute resolution to resolve your dispute. There are some exceptions, including when it is not safe to do so.
Many different organisations provide low cost or free family dispute resolution including:
You can contact the family dispute resolution service and they will talk you through their individual process.
Generally, both parties will share the costs of the family dispute resolution. There are some exceptions to this.
Generally, one person contacts the dispute resolution service and the service will invite the other person to attend. If the other person refuses to respond or participate, then the service will let you know. They will also issue you a certificate (called a “section 60I certificate”) which you will need if you want to start court proceedings.
If the other person agrees to participate, the service will speak to each of you about what your individual concerns and goals are and will set a date for a family dispute resolution. You will then both attend the dispute resolution and try to reach an agreement. Whether you reach an agreement or not, the service will provide you with a section 60I certificate which you will need if you want to start court proceedings.
Different services can provide different options to avoid any direct contact between the parties. These include putting you in separate rooms, having you attend separate locations, or doing a conference over the phone so that the dispute resolution practitioner is “shuttling” between the parties.
If you feel intimidated, scared or think that you could feel intimidated during the process, it is important to tell the family dispute resolution practitioner, and tell them about any history of domestic violence between yourself and the other person.
Not all matters are appropriate for family dispute resolution. Your safety is the most important consideration. You do not need to have family dispute resolution if:
You should get legal advice if you think one of the above issues apply to your situation.
If you reach an agreement about parenting arrangements, you can either:
See our Children and Parenting fact sheet for more information about the different types of parenting agreements.
In Australia, parents bear the responsibility for financial support for their children. This responsibility is met by parents either having their children live with them or, following separation, by providing financial child support to the parent or other family member with whom the children live. Parents are liable to support their children whether or not the parents are or were married, or in a de facto relationship.* The responsibility for financial support still arises even if the parents were never in a relationship or if one or both parents never intended to have a child.
*A de facto relationship is defined in section 4AA of the Family Law Act 1975. The law requires that you and your former partner had a relationship as a couple living together on a genuine domestic basis. A de facto relationship can exist between 2 persons of different sexes and between 2 persons of the same sex.
Child support is a payment made by one parent to the other to help with the cost of looking after children. In some situations, it may be paid by one or both parents to another person who is looking after the children. Child support is usually paid until a child turns 18 but there are some situations where it may be stopped early, including if a child becomes self-sufficient; marries; or enters into a de-facto relationship.
Parents can reach agreement about the payment of child support privately, or they can apply to Services Australia (Child Support) for an administrative assessment. To be eligible for a child support assessment you must: meet residence rules, which requires one parent to be living in Australia; and be the legal parent or non-parent carer of the child/ren.
Services Australia (Child Support) (‘CS’) will only issue a child support assessment if you can prove the paying parent is a biological, adoptive or same-sex parent.
Both parents can agree to have child support collected privately, for example, one parent pays child support into the other parent’s bank account. This does not have to be in writing.
Private collection can work well if both parents complete tax returns and where there are no issues of family violence including financial abuse.
If private payments fall behind, stop, or you no longer agree on the amount of child support payable, you should get legal advice as soon as possible.
If you are the parent in receipt of child support, and are experiencing difficulties with the paying parent, you can contact Services Australia (Child Support) (“CS”) and ask them to collect the child support instead. CS can take over collection of future payments and any outstanding payments generally going back 3 months,
Services Australia (Child Support) (‘CS’) is responsible for collecting and enforcing payments of child support.
CS can collect the child support money on your behalf from the other parent.
You will need to directly request that CS collect the money for you. If you do not do this, they will register your case as a “private collection” case and you will be expected to collect the child support monies yourself. However, even if you nominate to privately collect initially, you can always contact CS at a later stage to request their assistance to collect the money.
If the other parent fails to pay child support CS can do a number of things to enforce payment, such as deducting money from the other parent’s wages and intercepting any tax return that may be due to them at the end of the financial year.
If CS is responsible for collecting your child support, they will be responsible for recovering outstanding payments and debts.
If you were collecting child support privately, then you will have to try and recovery any outstanding money from the other parent yourself.
If parents agree, they can make a legally enforceable agreement about the amount, frequency and method of child support payments after separation. If you are not sure how much child support you are entitled to, you can use the amount that Services Australia (Child Support) (“CS”) would assess as a guide. You can get this figure either by ringing CS who will work it out for you, or by using the child support estimator on the CS website. You should get legal advice prior to entering into a private agreement.
If you are receiving payments from Centrelink, you cannot agree to accept less child support than the amount determined by CS.
You must register your agreement with CS if you would like their assistance to collect your child support.
CS encourages people to reach agreement about child support and arrange their own collection. If you do not believe this is possible in your circumstances because you are fearful of your partner or for any other reason, you should advise CS that you would like them to assess and collect your child support.
A binding agreement must be in writing and signed by both parents, who have had independent legal advice before they sign. It is a long-term agreement which can only be ended by a new agreement or a court order. As both parties will have had independent legal advice prior to entering into a binding agreement, a court order to change a binding agreement may be difficult to obtain. Agreements entered into after 1 July 2018 may be suspended when the parent receiving child support is no longer an eligible carer of the child.
A limited agreement is a less formal agreement between the parents for the payment of child support, and there must already be an assessment in place for the child/ren. Limited agreements are easier to end than a binding agreement and will run for no more than three years, at which time the parents can either enter into a new limited agreement or the case will revert to the child support assessment with CS.
If you apply for a parenting payment you will be required by Centrelink to seek child support from the other parent, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as domestic violence. If an exceptional circumstance does not apply to your case and you fail to seek child support, then your family tax payments will be reduced. If you find yourself in this situation it is important to obtain legal advice as soon as possible as strict time limits apply. If you do not meet the time limits and there is a lengthy delay, without reasonable explanation, then Centrelink may elect to not back-pay any reduced Centrelink payments.
If you are escaping domestic violence and you are fearful about applying for child support, then you should speak to a social worker at Centrelink about applying for an exemption.
If you apply for a birth certificate and/or child support and the father of your child refuses to admit that he is the parent, there are a number of steps you can take.
If you attempt to register your child’s birth and the other parent refuses to sign the birth registration statement you should still provide all the details to Births, Deaths, and Marriages. The Registrar will then contact the father and confirm whether he admits parentage. If he does, then he can be added to your child’s birth certificate, if not then a record will be kept with the registry for future reference (particularly if a DNA parentage test report or court order is later provided).
You will also need to make an application for child support. Once you apply, Services Australia (Child Support) (“CS”) will review your application. If you and the father were married at the time of conception (or the child was born within 44 to 20 weeks of when the mother and father lived together) then an automatic presumption of parentage will apply, and the father will be assessed to pay child support.
If no presumption applies, CS will contact the father to see whether he admits to being the parent. If the father denies parentage, CS will refuse your child support application. You will then need to seek legal advice so that you can obtain assistance to either seek court orders declaring parentage or undergo a DNA parentage test. If the father refuses to undergo parentage testing the court can draw inferences from that refusal.
If a child or children over 18 can’t support themselves, a court can make an order for parents to continue to provide financial support because they:
This is called adult child maintenance.
If a child turns 18 while completing their final year of secondary school, the parent receiving payments can apply to the Services Australia (Child Support) to extend support until the end of the school year. The application needs to be made before the child turns 18 and can be made by a parent or a child.
The amount of maintenance to be paid will depend on the child’s necessary expenses, each parent’s financial position and their situation. If you find yourself in this position, we recommend that you obtain legal advice.
Parents can make their own agreement or file consent orders in court (where both parents agree to the orders). If an agreement can’t be reached, the court can decide the amount to be paid. A court order for ongoing payments can be registered for collection with Services Australia (Child Support) and can be paid to the parent or the child.
It is possible to get a court order requiring the father to contribute to your out-of-pocket child-bearing expenses, if you are not married to the father.
This is separate to child support and involves a private application to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. As a mother, you are entitled to financial support (childbirth maintenance) from the child’s father for some living and medical expenses from 2 months before a child is born until 3 months after the birth.
As a mother, you are also entitled to childbirth maintenance if you had to stop working early in the pregnancy due to a medical condition. In this case, the entitlement starts from the day you stop working.
If the child is stillborn or dies during childbirth, then, if you are the mother, you can claim some expenses for the child’s funeral. If the mother dies and the death is a result of the pregnancy or birth the mother’s family can make a claim for some funeral expenses. The application must be filed within 12 months of the birth of your child.
Services Australia (Child Support) (“CS”) uses a formula to work out how much child support you should pay or receive. The formula takes into account:
The amount of child support to be paid may change depending on how much time the child spends with each parent. CS will take into account any other dependent children when calculating your child support.
You should tell Services Australia (Child Support) (“CS”) if your circumstances change. The amount of child support payable may be varied to reflect changes to your situation including if the amount of care you provide for your child/ren changes, if you have a child with another partner.
You can also apply to vary your child support assessments in special circumstances.
You can apply for a Change of Assessment in Special Circumstances, which is a review of the decision from CS. You should seek legal advice before applying for a change of assessment.
If you lodge a change of assessment application, you will be required to set out the reasons that you say the assessment should be changed and disclose details of your own financial circumstances. The paying parent will be provided with a copy of your application. Your application will be determined by CS after the paying parent has had an opportunity to reply and you have both been interviewed. The outcome may have an impact on the amount of Centrelink benefit you receive.
If you believe a decision by CS in relation to your case is incorrect (including if an application for a change of assessment has been unsuccessful) you can object to that decision in writing. You need to explain the details of the decision you are objecting to and why you think CS’s decision is incorrect. CS will then make a decision about your objection. If you do not agree with the CS’s decision to your objection, you may apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) – Social Services & Child Support (SSCS) division for a review of the objection decision.
If you don’t agree with the first decision, you may be able to apply to the General Division of the AAT for second review (provided the decision relates to percentage of child’s care) or you may be able to appeal the decision to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCoA).
While your objection is being considered, the original decision by CS will apply unless you seek a stay order. If you are appealing a decision, you may need to apply for a stay order (for example, if you can’t afford to keep paying your child support). You should seek legal advice before applying for a stay order.
The review mechanism available from a decision of the SSCS division is an appeal to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on a point of law (not an error about the facts). You should seek legal advice before lodging an appeal. You must file an appeal from a decision of the SSCS division within 28 days of receiving a written statement of reasons for the decision.
Financial abuse is when someone:
Financial abuse is a type of domestic and family violence. It often happens alongside other types of violence, such as physical or emotional abuse. It can make you feel:
It can also take away your independence by making you feel like you have to rely on the person who is being financially abusive. This is one of the most powerful tools that someone can use to keep you trapped in an abusive relationship.
Financial abuse can happen to anyone. Older people are more likely to experience financial abuse. This is because they often rely on other people to help them with financial tasks and decisions.
You can experience financial abuse from anyone. For example, they could be:
Someone might control the money in your household. For example, they might not let you access your bank accounts.
Someone might make you go into debt. For example, they might:
Someone might force you to:
Someone might:
Economic abuse is also a type of domestic violence. But economic abuse is broader than financial abuse.
Economic abuse can include when someone:
Someone might:
not be honest about assets during the property settlement process.
You can contact a financial counsellor in your area who can support you to leave your partner.
You can also contact the National Debt Helpline.
Call 1800 007 007.
They will connect you with a specialised domestic and family violence financial counsellor.
| Who can give you support | Who can apply | What support you can get | When you must apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centrelink Crisis Payment | This support is available to people in extreme situations. This includes family and domestic violence and other situations. | You must apply within 7 days of leaving your partner. | |
| Uniting Care – Escaping Violence Payment |
You must be:
|
Up to $5000. |
You must apply within 12 weeks of:
|
| Victim’s Assist Queensland | Supports you to recover from certain acts of violence in Queensland. | You must apply within 3 years of experiencing violence. | |
| Red Cross Family & DV Financial Assistance |
You must be:
|
Up to $5000. | |
| Flexible Assistance Program | Up to $5000 (per adult) to buy certain items for your home. | ||
| Home Energy Emergency Assistance Scheme (HEEAS) | Up to $720 for households in Queensland who are finding it difficult to pay for electricity or gas. | Once every 2 years. | |
| Concession Card |
You must have a valid:
|
You can get a discount on:
|
|
| Public Dentist |
You must:
|
Public dental support. | |
| Spectacle Scheme |
You must:
|
You can get a free pair of basic prescription glasses. | Once every 2 years. |
| FairPlay | A $150 voucher for a child’s sport and active recreation:
|
Each child can get one voucher per calendar year. |
Your credit report is a record of your credit history. It includes things like:
Credit providers look at your credit history to decide whether to give you credit or lend you money.
Some credit reporting agencies might give you your credit rating for free.
You can contact the credit reporting agencies below for your free credit report.
Call 138 332
You can also find out more information on their website.
Call 1300 783 684
You can also find out more information on their website.
Call 132 333
You can also find out more information on their website.
If you find a mistake in your credit report, you should follow the instructions the credit reporting agency provided with the report. The instructions will tell you how to fix the mistakes. You can report these mistakes to the agency by:
If a debt collector contacts you, you must:
If you don’t agree with your debt, you can dispute it.
For example, you can dispute your debt if:
and
You can call a financial counsellor if you need support to dispute a debt.
Financial counsellors are qualified professionals. They can give you information and advice about what to do if you are experiencing financial difficulty. And they can support you to speak with certain people.
It is free to get support from a financial counsellor. Their services are non-judgmental, independent and private.
Financial counsellors are based in community organisations throughout Australia. For example, large charities, smaller community centres and local government agencies.
There are steps you can take to manage your money better. You can learn how to:
You can find more information and free spreadsheets on the moneysmart website.
FREE help and confidential support about DFV, open all day, every day. Provides information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services in your area:
A lawyer can give you legal information and advice so that you can make an informed decision about your legal options. It is confidential. FREE legal advice about domestic and family violence, parenting, divorce, property and child protection:
Qld Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service on 1800 887 700
Legal Aid Indigenous Hotline on 1300 650 143
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (Qld) on 1800 012 255
North Qld Women’s Legal Service on 1800 244 504
First Nations Women’s Legal Services Qld on 1800 082 600
Women’s Legal Service Qld on 1800 957 957
It is important to understand your legal rights in relation to domestic and family violence and family law, and where you can go to get more information and legal advice. The services listed above may be able to help you.
DFV is not okay, and the law can help to protect you. A domestic violence protection order (DVO) can help to protect you and your children from future acts of domestic violence. It is a court order to stop the person from hurting or scaring you and your children. To get a DVO you can seek help from the police, or you can make a private application at your local magistrates court.
A divorce is the process to legally end your marriage.
Property settlement is a process where the court can change the ownership of assets and debts after separation. This can be done by agreement or you can ask the court to decide. It includes land, houses, units, superannuation, cars, and money.
It is not automatic that everything is split 50/50. You have 12 months from the date of your divorce or 2 years from the end of your de facto relationship to apply to the court for a property settlement.
Family law deals with what happens to the care of children following a separation.
Doing what is in the best interests of children is what is most important, and you should only agree to what is safe and in the best interests of the children if you separate. The law also recognises the importance of children maintaining a connection with their culture.
Child safety is the state government body that looks after child protection in Queensland.
The aim of child safety is to keep kids safe from neglect and abuse.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Wellbeing Services in your local area can provide you with confidential and personalised support.
Legal Advice: Following a separation, it is important to get legal advice. You should get legal advice before agreeing or signing any documents.
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To discuss your online safety call DVConnect on 1800 811 811 (24-hour telephone advice line) or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (24-hour telephone counselling line).
For more information on your digital safety view our digital safety resource.
People can use technology as a type of domestic and family violence. This is called technology-facilitated abuse or tech abuse.
For example, your partner or ex-partner might use technology to:
Tech abuse might include when someone does any of the following without your consent:
Tech abuse might also include when someone tracks you. For example, they might:
Someone might show up where you or your children are. But you’re not expecting them to.
Someone might talk about information that they shouldn’t know. For example, they seem to know:
Someone might make changes to your device. For example, they might:
Someone might know your passwords. For example, the password for your email or bank account.
You might notice strange things about your device. For example:
You might also notice that your device:
You might not be able to log into your accounts, even though you don’t remember changing the password.
There are steps you can follow to protect yourself online.
You should:
You should also:
You should protect your location. For example, you should:
If you and your partner separate, you might want to consider:
You should also:
You can find more information about deleting your internet history on the Queensland Government website.
Your safety is the most important thing. You should be careful if you do any of these things.
It’s a good idea to keep a record of tech abuse. The police might be able to use this information as evidence for a domestic violence protection order (DVO) or criminal charges.
The police might ask you to give them your device so they can download evidence. If you can’t keep your device, make sure you save the evidence somewhere safe. For example, you could give the evidence to a family member or friend who you trust. They can keep the evidence on their device or at their house.
You might not be able to safely take screenshots of the abuse. For example, because your partner or ex-partner will get a notification if you do. You should ask a friend or family member you trust to take photos or videos of your phone or computer.
A DVO can help protect you if you are experiencing tech abuse from your partner or ex-partner. It can also help protect your children.
A DVO will always include a condition that your partner or ex-partner is ‘not to commit acts of domestic violence and to be of good behaviour.’
You can ask for specific conditions for online abuse. For example, you can ask that you partner or ex-partner not be allowed to contact or try to contact you in any way. In court they would say:
‘The respondent is prohibited from contacting or attempting to contact or asking someone else to contact the aggrieved by any means whatsoever including telephone, text or internet.’
You can also ask that they not be allowed to post pictures or comments about you online. In court they would say:
‘The respondent is prohibited from using the internet (including social networking sites) to communicate with, publish pictures of or make adverse comments concerning the aggrieved.’
You can apply for a DVO:
The police can also sometimes apply for a DVO for you.
Stalking is a criminal offence whether it is online or offline.
If someone is stalking you, report it to police. You should try to give the police records of:
You can find more information about tech abuse on the Tech Safety website and on the Office of the eSafety Commissioner website.
Visit Family law (property) changes from 10 June 2025: Fact sheet for separating couples | Attorney-General’s Department for translated versions of this fact sheet.
Family law is changing. These changes may impact separating couples who have a property matter before the family law courts or who are trying to decide what happens to their property and finances after separation. This is known as a ‘property settlement’.
This fact sheet will help separating couples to understand how the new law operates. It contains general information only and is not intended to represent legal advice.
Most separating couples make their own arrangements for what happens to their finances and property after their relationship ends. Some couples use dispute resolution outside of court to reach agreement. Couples who cannot reach agreement through dispute resolution can apply to the family law courts to determine a property settlement. The family law courts have broad powers to make orders about property (such as the family home, shares, or superannuation), and liabilities (debts), if it would be just and equitable to do so.
From 10 June 2025, the Family Law Act 1975 includes changes to the law about:
• how the family law courts will determine a property settlement
• what the family law courts will consider when determining a property settlement. This includes the economic effect of any family violence, where relevant.
These changes apply to all separating couples, whether their property settlement is determined by the family law courts, or they are negotiating outside of court.
When considering a property matter, the family law courts must:
• identify all property and liabilities (debts) of the parties
• assess each party’s contributions to the property pool, and to the welfare of the family
• assess each party’s current and future circumstances. The family law courts will consider matters such as each party’s age and state of health, and the care and housing needs of any children
• only make orders that are, in all of the circumstances, just and equitable.
Separating couples negotiating outside of court should also follow this process.
Family violence means violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family, or causes the family member to be fearful.
From 10 June 2025, the economic effect of family violence must be considered, where relevant, when making decisions about property and finances after separation. The amendments also make clear that economic or financial abuse may constitute family violence. This might include where a person has controlled all of the finances or spending.
The impact of family violence could be relevant when assessing a party’s contributions to the property pool and to the welfare of the family (for example, if they were not allowed to work), and when assessing their current and future circumstances (for example, if they have ongoing counselling or rehabilitation costs).
The changes to the law do not permit the family law courts to:
• sentence someone for engaging in family violence conduct. Prosecutions for family violence offences are made in state and territory criminal courts
• order compensation for harm caused by family violence. Compensation may be available under a Victims of Crime Compensation Scheme, or under an order from a state or territory civil court
• make a family violence order to protect someone from family violence, or alter existing orders made by state or territory courts to protect someone from family violence. Orders for protection against family violence are made or amended by state or territory courts.
Separating couples can make arrangements for what happens to their companion animals (family pets), without going to court. This is what happens most of the time.
If separating couples cannot agree, they can apply to the family law courts to make an order. From 10 June 2025, when considering what order, if any, to make about family pets, the family law courts must consider a specific list of matters that apply only in relation to family pets.
This includes:
• any animal abuse, including threatening behaviour as a form of family violence
• the attachment of each party, or children of the relationship to the family pets.
The family law courts can only make certain types of orders about family pets. The family law courts cannot make orders for joint ownership or arrangements for sharing possession of family pets.
Separating couples have a duty to give all relevant financial information and documents to each other and the court. From 10 June 2025, the duty of disclosure is in the Family Law Act 1975 instead of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules. The nature of the duty is the same.
The duty applies to all disputes about finances and property that arise following separation. It is an ongoing duty, which means separating couples must provide all relevant information when they are trying to resolve their property matter.
There can be consequences if separating couples do not do this. For example, the family law courts may:
• take non-compliance into account in a property settlement
• impose sanctions, such as costs orders
• punish a party for contempt of court with a fine or imprisonment, or
• defer or dismiss all or part of the proceedings.
Existing financial or property orders do not change because of the new laws. People with existing orders should continue to follow those orders.
The changes apply to all new and existing proceedings, except where a final hearing has commenced. This means the new law applies to all matters (unless a final hearing has commenced), even if an application was filed before 10 June 2025. People who are already in court and do not have a lawyer, may wish to seek legal advice about how the changes may impact them.
Child support is generally dealt with separately to a family law property settlement.
Services Australia administers child support in Australia. They can be contacted on 131 272.
If you have immediate safety concerns, contact 000.
If you or someone you know needs help, 1800 RESPECT is a confidential online and telephone counselling, information and referral service that provides support to people who have experienced sexual assault, family and/or domestic violence. To access 1800RESPECT, you can phone 1800 737 732, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, chat online via www.1800RESPECT.org.au, or text 0458 737 732.
WLSQ acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work, particularly the Turrbul, Yuggera, Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi, Ugarapul peoples and the Yugambeh Language Region on whose lands our offices sit. We recognise their continuing connection to this Country, its waters, and culture. We acknowledge that their sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, and we especially honour First Nations women and the traditions they carry.
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