About the Commission
Australia likes to see itself as a fair country. Unfortunately, sometimes people are treated unfairly because of what they look like, where they come from or what they believe. In Victoria there are laws to protect people from unfair behaviour and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission helps people who have been treated unfairly. Find out about your rights and how we can help you.
What is the Commission?
The Commission is an independent organisation that was created to try to stop discrimination, sexual harassment, and racial and religious vilification.
We help people resolve complaints about these unfair behaviours and also:
- provide information about equal opportunity and human rights to people and organisations
- educate and consult with organisations to help them become fairer
- carry out research and investigations on serious discrimination and sexual harassment
- encourage the Victorian Government to make stronger laws to protect people, and make sure our current laws are working.
How can the Commission help me?
We can tell you about your right to fair treatment, or you can tell us if you have been treated unfairly. We might be able to help the behaviour stop and get you an apology or compensation.
We do not give legal advice but we can tell you more about your rights and Victoria’s laws that protect your rights.
These laws protect people from unfair treatment in public life. They do not relate to private behaviour, such as something that happens at home.
We can help you if you have experienced unfair behaviour, including:
- discrimination
- sexual harassment
- racial and religious vilification
- victimisation
We can also tell you about Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
When can’t the Commission help me?
We can’t help if the behaviour happened in private (for example, at home).
We can’t help with questions about:
- your visa status or immigration issues
- police matters
- issues with federal organisations (such as the Department of Home Affairs).
We can give you information about Victoria’s Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities but we do not handle complaints related to the Charter.
Other organisations that may be able to help you if we cannot:
Asylum seekers, refugees and migrants
Refugee Legal
Ph: (03) 9413 0100, 10am–2pm, Wed and Fri
Consumers’ rights
Consumer Affairs Victoria
Ph: 1300 55 81 81
Family violence or sexual assault
1800 Respect
Ph: 1800 737 732
Interpreter: 13 14 50
Human rights breaches and complaints about Victorian government organisations
Victorian Ombudsman
Ph: (03) 9613 6222 or 1800 806 314 (regional Victoria only)
Immigration, visa and citizenship delays, and detention centres
Commonwealth Ombudsman
Ph: 1300 362 072
Legal support
Victoria Legal Aid
Ph: 1300 792 387
Complaints about police conduct
Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission
Ph: 1300 735 135
Tenants’ rights (help for people who rent their home)
Tenants Victoria
Ph: (03) 9416 2577
Social housing tenants advice line: 1800 068 860
Women’s health
Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health
Ph: 1800 656 421
Workplace safety issues or bullying
WorkSafe Victoria
Advice line: 1800 136 089
Emergencies :13 23 60