Home > Legal issues > Getting fair treatment

Getting fair treatment

This section is about some of the laws that protect your rights to fair treatment, and what you can do if you think you have not been treated fairly.

Many of these rights are considered to be ‘human rights’ – the basic rights that all people are entitled to, regardless of their age, sex, race, religion, where they live or what they believe.

The Commonwealth Government decides whether or not to take on obligations to observe international human rights 'standards', such as the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But agreeing to observe international standards does not necessarily mean those standards will be legally enforced in Australia.

Australia's state governments are responsible for making and enforcing many of the laws that protect human rights, such as those about equal opportunity, and racial and religious tolerance.

In addition, Victoria now has a Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities which sets out Victorians’ rights, freedoms and responsibilities. From 2008, government departments and agencies will have to take these rights into account when creating laws and policies, and when providing services.

For more information about human rights see the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Australian Human Rights Commission (formerly the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission) websites (links below).

More information

Charter of human rights

Related websites

Australian Human Rights Commission – human rights (new window)

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission – human rights (new window)

How we can help

Call Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Legal Information Service for free information over the phone about the law and how we can help you with your legal problem. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter. Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.

VLA’s other free legal services include:

  • advice at VLA offices and other locations across Victoria
  • lawyers who are on ‘duty’ to help at many courts and tribunals.

For some civil matters we can provide you with a lawyer to help you run your case.

To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.