Advocacy

Disability advocacy

Disability advocacy agencies provide a critical role in ensuring that the rights and interests of people with a disability are respected and realised.
Disability advocacy agencies aim to ensure that:

• The rights of people with a disability, as members of our community, are upheld
• People with a disability make their own decisions, particularly those where the outcomes affect their lives.

An advocacy agency can help people to arrive at an agreement between themselves and another person or a community agency over any matter to do with their disability. The agency can usually provide this help in a variety of ways, including:

• Providing advice
• Accompanying Consumers at meetings where the service is to be discussed to provide moral support
• Accompanying Consumers to such a meeting and speaking on behalf of the person.

Advocacy agencies can be particularly helpful if there has been some disagreement and the Consumer has had difficulty dealing on their own with the people involved.
Click here for contact details of community organisations that can provide information and assistance.

Assistance

Assistance is available to help you lodge a complaint. Ask the agency for assistance, which could include arranging for a professional interpreter in the language you are most comfortable with or help with filling in a form.

Translating and Interpreting Service

The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) provides a free, national 24 hour a day, seven days a week telephone interpreting service on a national telephone number.

Call 131 450

Community Support Incorporated embraces the principle that customers have the right to complain and to have the complaint investigated fairly, objectively, promptly and without fear of retribution. It recognises that specific groups, for example people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities understand and are able to participate in these processes.
The right of complainants to involve an advocate of their choice is recognised and supported.

How does CSI view advocacy agencies?

CSI believes that:

• Any user of its services has a right to seek the support of an advocacy agency to help deal with a disagreement with the organisation
• It has a responsibility to work together in a co-operative manner with workers from such agencies
• It has the responsibility of making sure that users of its services are aware of advocacy agencies and how to contact them
  

Advocacy agencies and how to contact them

Citizens Advocacy South Australia
Address: Unit 1, 76 Sturt Street, Adelaide, SA 5000
PO Box 6804 Halifax Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Telephone: (08) 8410 6644
Fax: (08) 8410 0388
 
Disability Complaints Service
Address: 3/178 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville SA 5031
Telephone: (08) 8234 5699
Telephone (TTY): (08) 8234 2229
Telephone (Free call): 1800 088 325 (country callers)
Fax: (08) 8234 6044
www.dacssa.org.au
 
Equal Opportunity Commission
Address: Level 10, 30 Currie Street, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Postal Address: GPO Box 464, Adelaide, SA, 5001
Telephone: (08) 8207 1977
Telephone (TTY): 8207 1911
Telephone (Free Call): 1800 188 163
Fax: (08)8207 2090
www.eoc.sa.gov.au

Legal Services Commission
Telephone Advisory Service Telephone: 1300 366 424

LEGAL HELP LINE 1300 366 424 Telephone Advice Monday to Friday 9am-4.30pm TTY Phone (08) 8463 3691	Family Law Duty Lawyer Service Level 1,  3 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Telephone 0434 079 387 or 0434 079 388	Port Adelaide Office ANL Building, 306 St Vincent Street, Port Adelaide SA 5015 DX 50607 Telephone (08) 8207 6276 Fax (08) 8207 6277
Adelaide Office 82-98 Wakefield Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Postal Address: GPO Box 1718, Adelaide SA 5001 DX 104 Telephone (08) 8463 3555 Fax (08) 8463 3599	Youth Legal Service 75 Wright Street, SA Adelaide 5000 Telephone (08) 8463 3533 Fax (08) 8463 3530	Port Augusta Office 13 Flinders Terrace Port Augusta SA 5700 DX51005 Telephone (08) 8648 5180 Fax (08) 8648 5370
Child Support Advice: Telephone (08) 8463 3576 Country callers 1300 366 424 Parking available nearby at: Roper Street Car Park or Secure Parking (172 Gawler Place)	Elizabeth Office Suite 2 Windsor Building 1 Windsor Square (off Prince Andrew Street) Elizabeth Shopping Centre, SA 5112 DX 50102 Telephone (08) 8207 9292 Fax (08) 8207 9333	Holden Hill Office Tenancy 7, 560 North East Road, Holden Hill 5088 DX 50203 Telephone (08) 8369 1044 Fax (08) 8369 1066
Duty Solicitor, Adelaide Magistrates Court 260-280 Victoria Square, Adelaide 5000 Telephone (08) 8463 3535 Fax (08) 8463 3537	Noarlunga Office Noarlunga House, Colonnades Shopping Centre, Noarlunga Centre SA 5168 DX 51404 Telephone (08) 8207 3877 Fax (08) 8207 3880	Mount Barker Office 18 Walker Street, Mount Barker SA 5251 DX 51712 Telephone (08) 8226 8722 Fax (08) 8391 4747
Whyalla Office Tenancy 7, 169 Nicolson Avenue Whyalla Norrie SA 5608 DX 60021 Telephone (08) 8648 8940 Fax (08) 8648 8950

Complaints

If anyone has a complaint about the Commission, they can contact the Client Relations Coordinator, Sue Brebner, telephone (08)8463 3596, sue.brebner@sa.gov.au. She can also provide advice and assistance in lodging appeals against refusals of aid, and help to identify other sources of assistance.

MALSSA (Head Office – Adelaide)
(Provides a service to disabled people from non-English speaking backgrounds)

237 North Terrace
ADELAIDE SA 5000
We are located in Scots Uniting Church, on the cnr North Tce and Pultney St. It is Advisable to make a appointment with us before coming to our office.

Phone: (08) 8227 2066
Fax: (08) 8227 1493
Phone: (08) 8351 9500
Free call from South Australian country areas: 1800 816 720
Email: malssaadmin@malssa.org.au
Fax: (08) 8152 0396
Office: Shop 4, 80 Henley Beach Road, Mile End, South Australia 5031
Postal address: PO Box 742, Torrensville, S.A. 5031

Riverland Advocacy Service
Phone: (08) 8582 2422
Fax: (08) 8582 2411
Office: 2 Ahern Street, Berri 5343
Postal address: PO Box 868, Berri S.A. 5343

South East Disability Advocacy Service
Phone: (08) 8723 6002
Fax: (08) 8725 8009
Office: 71 Suttontown Road, Mount Gambier S.A. 5290
Postal address: PO Box 1210, Mount Gambier S.A. 5290

Ombudsman (South Australian Government)
Address: 5th Floor (East Wing), 50 Grenfell Street, Adelaide, SA 5000
Telephone: (08) 8226 8699
Telephone (Toll free): 1800 182 150
Fax: (08) 8226 8602
Email ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au

Ombudsman (Commonwealth Government)
Address: Level 5, 50 Grenfell Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Telephone: (08) 8226 8616
Fax: (08) 8226 8618
1300 362 072 (calls from mobile phones at mobile phone rates)
Postal: GPO Box 442, CANBERRA ACT 2601
SMS: 0413 COM OMB (0413 266 662) (standard carrier rates apply)
 
Parent Advocacy Incorporated
Address: 1 Finnis Street, North Adelaide, SA 5006
Telephone: (08) 239 0178

Disclaimer: The above information on is of a general nature only and does not constitute advice. Community Support Incorporated makes no representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy, usefulness, suitability or application of the information to a Consumer’s particular circumstances. Use of the information above is at your sole risk, and you should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the information. Community Support Incorporated accepts no liability for any damages or loss that may arise from the use of, or any omission from, the information provided.

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