Need legal help in Traralgon but you’re not sure where to go? Or, maybe, you’re not in a position to pay for legal assistance?
We know how stressful this can feel – but that’s why Gippsland Community Legal Service are here to help when you need legal advice in Traralgon. They provide access to highly experienced lawyers for Gippsland residents, free of charge.
Whether you need immediate assistance in resolving a family violence issue, sorting out a parenting plan without going to court, or need help in navigating a tenancy dispute, GCLS are here for residents of Traralgon and the Gippsland Region. Here are just some of the issues that GCLS will help you with:
Family violence
Family violence is a prevalent issue in Traralgon, with very high rates compared to other parts of Victoria. In fact, the Latrobe Valley region has the third highest rate of domestic violence per capita in Victoria, with nearby East Gippsland Shire at number one.
The Victorian average of family violence incidents is 1364.7 per 100,000 people. In Latrobe, however, the rate is close to three times this amount, at 3305.9 incidents of family violence per 100,000 people.
If you are experiencing family violence in Traralgon, you are not alone and there are services available to help your situation. The team at Gippsland Community Legal Service take family violence in Traralgon incredibly seriously and prioritise emergency cases of such instances.
Some of the ways in which GCLS help Traralgon residents overcome family violence include:
Intervention order advice before Court
Duty lawyers who can provide advice, representation and referrals on the day you have to attend Court
In some cases, assistance for respondents to intervention orders
Help with legal problems beyond intervention orders, including tenancy, parenting plans, debts, fines, infringements and more.
Tenancy
Tenancy issues are another common legal concern for Sale residents. The team at Gippsland Community Legal Service can assist you in understanding your rights as a tenants, updating you on changes to the law around tenancy, and help you resolve issues such as eviction notices and financial inability to make rental payments.
While tenancy issues are important to address in their own right, they’re often impacted by further problems such as family violence, financial abuse and separation. GCLS offer free legal advice to Sale residents who are experiencing tenancy issues as a result of these other problems, getting you back on your feet.
Gippsland Community Legal Service can help Sale residents solve a range of legal issues arising from tenancy, including:
Financial difficulties and struggling to pay rent
Eviction or challenging a notice to vacate
Having a dispute with your property manager or rental provider about repairs and maintenance of rental properties
Negotiating and dealing with a government or community housing agency about tenancy
Seeking compensation from rental providers who breach their duties under the rental agreement
Applying to and attending VCAT for your tenancy issues
Family law and separation
Family law is another area in which Traralgon residents frequently need legal help. Gippsland Community Legal Service provides experienced advice for families going through separation and negotiating parenting plans.
GCLS are determined to help resolve divorce issues, custody battles and property settlements without going to court. Australia’s family law system is geared to encourage families to agree on arrangements without going to court – this only adds more mental and financial stress to both parties involved.
Gippsland Community Legal Service can help Traralgon residents who:
Want to make a property settlement after separation or divorce
Want to make arrangements for the parenting of their children
Need to apply to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia for financial and/or parenting orders.
Want to apply for a divorce
Need help with other legal issues as part of relationship breakdown, including family violence, debts and financial stresses and tenancy issues.
Tenancy
Tenancy issues come with a significant amount of mental stress and financial pressure. If you’re living in Traralgon and going through a tenancy dispute of some sort, the team at Gippsland Community Legal Service prioritise your situation and give you the legal advice you need.
Common tenancy issues that the team at GCLS are highly experienced in resolving include eviction notices and inability to pay rent. GCLS also understands that tenancy issues frequently arise from other serious legal problems such as family violence, separation and financial abuse. If you’re experiencing any of these issues which are impacting your tenancy, the team at GCLS can offer legal support to help you solve these problems from the source.
Gippsland Community Legal Service can help Traralgon residents solve a range of legal issues arising from tenancy, including:
Financial difficulties and struggling to pay rent
Eviction or challenging a notice to vacate
Having a dispute with your property manager or rental provider about repairs and maintenance of rental properties
Negotiating and dealing with a government or community housing agency about tenancy
Seeking compensation from rental providers who breach their duties under the rental agreement
Applying to and attending VCAT for your tenancy issues
Fines
If you’ve received a fine in Traralgon and it was wrongly or unjustly issued, or you can’t afford to pay the fine, GCLS can help. The team at GCLS offer free legal advice on refuting and negotiating fines for Traralgon and Gippsland residents. Some of the areas in which GCLS can assist you include:
Helping you nominate the person who incurred the fine or infringement if it is currently in your name
Requesting a review of the fines or infringements
Negotiating a payment plan
Helping you access the Work and Development Permit
Scheme, which allows some fines or infringements to be worked off through activities or treatment
Helping you access the Family Violence Scheme, which allows some fines to be withdrawn where family violence substantially contributed to the fine or infringement being incurred
Helping you choose to take the fine or infringement to Court if you want to contest it.
Mental health
Mental health is a serious concern in rural Victoria. People living in outer regional Australia are more at risk of mental health issues than people living in major cities; the rate of mental health issues experienced amongst city and rural dwellers is the same (1 in 5 people), while there are significantly fewer support services available in rural Australia than there are in major cities.
Traralgon residents can turn to GCLS if they’ve been impacted by mental health issues and the law. Their services include:
Advance statements
Guardianship and administration
Representation at the Mental Health Tribunal
Gippsland Community Legal Service have helped many Traralgon residents with legal issues other than the ones mentioned here. Whatever your concern, you’ll find help through GCLS, gaining comprehensive legal advice, completely free of charge. Get in touch with the friendly team at GCLS and help us to help you today.
