Law - Children
Child Rights
Celebrating the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC)
CROC is a United Nations agreement that sets out the rights of all the children and young people of the world. Countries that sign CROC are promising to protect the human rights of children and young people. Australia signed up in 1990, to protect the rights of all Australian children. Find out about CROC.

Issues covered in the document include:
 your right to have a say,
 your parents,
 discrimination,
 education.

Click here to read a full summary of the major issues covered by each article of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
 


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Law - Education
Becoming a Lawyer
 Ever thought about a career in law? Want to know what it takes to become a lawyer? For information about becoming a lawyer, what is involved, the entrance scores needed or even the different types of law you can study, go to becoming a lawyer, it covers most things you need to know before embarking on a law career.
 
Law - Kits
De Facto Agreement
Co-Habitation Agreements are agreements made between people who are living together and who are NOT married, nor do they intend to get married. Property disputes in these circumstances fall outside the Family Law Act and are dealt with under State law. Resolving disputes in this way can be a time consuming and very expensive process. Write your own agreement now to help resolve any dispute which may arise in the future by purchasing an AussieLegal Co-Habitation Agreement - De Facto Kit for $89.95. The Kit can help both parties resolve a property dispute without going to court; allow you to quickly and easily document your individual assets and give you background knowledge of the law.
 
Family Law Kit
Relationship break-ups for most people are very stressful and often confusing. Money can be wasted in legal fees, especially when you don't understand the legal process. By purchasing an AussieLegal Family Law Kit. For only $49.95, you could save time and money, get peace of mind and regain some control. The Kit uses easy to read information about divorce, separation agreements, child custody & access, property settlement and spousal maintenance. The AussieLegal Family Law Kit can help you get a better understanding of the law and legal process; better understand what your lawyer is doing; ask your lawyer and ex-partner the right questions; make informed decisions, negotiate; brief your lawyer; save you time in front of your lawyer; and save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in legal fees.
 
Pre Nuptial Agreement
Pre-Nuptial Agreements are agreements made between people who are living together and who intend to get married. The agreement is designed to help people decide how to deal with each other both during the marriage and in the event of a separation at least so far as financial matters are concerned. An AussieLegal Pre Nuptial Agreement for only $89.95 contains easy to read information and includes background information on the law, instructions for preparing and executing an agreement, a checklist, and a detailed draft Pre Nuptial Agreement which can be edited. The Kit allows you to quickly and easily document your individual assets; provides background knowledge of the law; helps to resolve any future financial dispute; gives you peace of mind and saves you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in legal fees.
 
Will Kits
Roughly half of all Australian's die without leaving a valid, legal Will (intestate). If a person dies intestate, rules contained in legislation will decide how your assets are distributed taking into account your family situation. The government may also decide who looks after your children if they are still minors. Put your mind at ease by purchasing an AussieLegal Will Kit at a cost of $29.95, which will provide you with all you need to write and execute a Will for yourself and your partner. The Kit contains a list of easy-to-follow steps to write your Will, an explanation of the law, 5 examples of completed Wills, 5 blank Wills to choose from and detailed instructions on how to execute your Will. The AussieLegal Making a Will Kit will help you understand your legal position; ensure your assets will go to the people you choose and ensure your children will be looked after the way you want.
 
Law - Services
Child and Family Services
Child and Family Services is committed to providing support and accommodation to children and families in times of crisis or major change. They provide accommodation for children who are in need of substitute care. Many services are offered including Accommodation services, Family centred services and Youth & Community services, with clients' best interests foremost at all times. For more information contact Child and Family Services Ballarat.
 

Community Legal Centre
In Ballarat, a service providing free legal advice, with referral by appointment only. The centre also provides advocacy in areas of of public interest and social justice issues, legal education and workshops. There is some specialisation in family law and victims compensation. Community legal education in the areas of youth, domestic violence and victims of sexual assault, with a night advice service Wednesday evenings.

Who can use a Legal Centre? Legal Centres operate in different ways, most offer services only to people who live in their geographic area.

What can a Legal Centre do for me? Again, this depends on the individual centre. Some give advice over the phone, some offer services by appointment.

What staff do Legal Centres have? Legal Centres have legal and non-legal volunteers, as well as paid staff. Keep in mind that most centres are largely staffed by volunteers, have very limited resources and can be quite hectic and busy.

Central Highlands Community Legal Centre
Ludbrook House
115 Lydiard St Nth, Ballarat 3350
Telephone:(03) 5331 5999. Facsimile:(03) 5331 8239
 

Discrimination
Everyone has the right to a fair go. The Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic) and Federal Anti-discrimination laws protect your rights, regardless of your age, race etc. It is against the law in Victoria for anyone to discriminate against you. Do you need advice? The EOC can explain your rights, your responsibilities, or any other information you need to know about discrimination or harassment issues.

Domestic Violence
The most common form of assault in Australia is "Domestic Violence", claiming the lives of between 30 - 40 women or children each year. Domestic Violence includes physical abuse, mental torture, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, social deprivation, public humiliation, verbal assaults and financial control. There are many myths that surround Domestic Violence, making it one of the most under reported crimes. "WRISC" (WOMEN'S RESOURCE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT CENTRE) is an organisation that provides personal support for women and children, support groups for survivors of domestic violence, offer a domestic violence outreach service and participate in local networks and services.
Family Assistance Office
Family Assistance contributes to stronger families by helping support families through income supplements to assist with the cost of children, and at the birth of a child and helping support and strengthen families through services to enhance family relationships and lower the incidence of family breakdown, including parent education to prevent child abuse.
Services provided for families include family relationship services; parenting education programs; early intervention services to young people and families experiencing conflict; support for young adolescents and their families where the young people are at risk of destructive or self-destructive behaviours; financial assistance for families with children and policy advice, research and service management related to providing services for families.
You can call the Family Assistance Office for the cost of a local call on 13 61 50.
 

Legal Aid
Victoria Legal Aid provides services in five main areas:

Legal Information: Legal aid provides information through telephone services, self-help workshops, the community access library and the Internet. The Victoria Legal Aid Melbourne Office has a public library staffed by qualified librarians who can help with legal research. Victoria Legal Aid provides workshops on a range of legal issues including Child Support, Divorce and Traffic matters. Contact Victoria Legal Aid for more Information. The Victoria Legal Aid web site provides a range of information about legal aid and legal issues.

Legal assistance: Legal assistance is where Victoria Legal Aid pays a lawyer to do legal work for you. The lawyer may be a private lawyer, your own lawyer or a legal aid lawyer. Legal assistance could include a lawyer providing ongoing legal advice, negotiating with another person, preparing legal documents, representing you in court. Legal assistance is only provided in some areas of law, mainly Criminal, Family and Civil matters. Victoria Legal Aid has guidelines that outline where grants of legal assistance can be made. If you are not sure if you qualify for legal assistance, get legal advice.

Legal advice: Victoria Legal Aid provides up to one hour of free legal advice at Victoria Legal Aid offices, prisons and other institutions, on the telephone or in person. Legal advice may include help to fill in a legal aid application, telephone calls, writing letters, or drafting documents.

Duty lawyer services: Duty Lawyers provide free advice and representation at court. Duty lawyers are available at most Magistrates' Courts, Melbourne Family Court and all Children's Courts. Duty lawyers may speak for you in court, however they have to give priority to people in custody and serious cases. They will not be able to help everyone.

Education services: Victoria Legal Aid provide education material to inform the community about their legal rights and responsibilities. These include seminars for community workers, workshops for the public, and a range of free legal publications. Most publications are available on the Victoria Legal Aid website.
 

Police
Victoria Police are committed to providing a high quality of life for individuals with the aim to minimise the incidence and effects of crime in the community through crime investigation programs. Local business, community members and the Police work together to identify crime and safety issues and to establish effective solutions. There are many things you can do to reduce crime; Victoria Police offer helpful tips for the prevention of crime. In an emergency dial 000, otherwise contact your local Police Department.

Ballarat Police Station
20 Dana Street, Ballarat 3350
Telephone:(03) 5336 6000. Facsimile:(03) 5336 6033.
 
Sexual Assault / Harassment
Sexual assault is a serious problem in our society. Sexual assault is any behaviour of a sexual nature that makes you feel uncomfortable, frightened, intimidated & that you have not agreed to. There are many myths about sexual assault, and victims often feel embarrassed or ashamed to come forward and report this crime. If you are, or have been a victim and would like to speak to someone about it, contact CASA (Centres Against Sexual Assault). CASA provides a specialist support, advice and counselling service for all victims of sexual assault, male and female, adults and children.
It is illegal to "sexually harass" another person, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, as set out under the "Victorian Equal Opportunities Act 1995". Sexual harassment is behaviour of a sexual nature that is unwelcome, unasked for and unreturned. Sexual harassment can be written, verbal or physical, and come in many different forms. If you are experiencing difficulties, or just need more information contact the Equal Opportunities Commission.
 

Law - Terms

Legal Terms
For a comprehensive guide to legal terms and phrases go to Duhaime's legal dictionary. The following are a few examples of what you can expect to find:

Barrister: A litigation specialist; a lawyer that restricts his or her practice to the court room. In England and some other Commonwealth jurisdictions, a legal distinction is made between barristers and solicitors, the latter with exclusive privileges of advising clients, providing legal advice, and the former with exclusive privileges of appearing in a court on behalf of a client. In other words, solicitors don't appear in court on a client's behalf and barristers don't give legal advice to clients. In England, barristers and solicitors work as a team: the solicitor would typically make the first contact with a client and if the issue cannot be resolved and proceeds to trial, the solicitor would transfer the case to a barrister for the duration of the litigation.

Civil law: Law inspired by old Roman Law, the primary feature of which was that laws were written into a collection; codified, and not determined, as is common law, by judges. The principle of civil law is to provide all citizens with an accessible and written collection of the laws which apply to them and which judges must follow.

Criminal law: That body of the law that deals with conduct considered so harmful to society as a whole that it is prohibited by statute, prosecuted and punished by the government.