While your time in Melbourne will be filled with new people and new experiences, there may be times when you find yourself in need of legal support or guidance. Whether you need help recovering unpaid wages from your employer, or your landlord has changed your property agreement, there’s plenty of help available.
Understanding the legal landscape in Australia
You don’t need to be an expert in the law to move to Australia but it’s a good idea to understand some basic rules and responsibilities.
Australia’s values include fairness, equality, freedom and safety, and there are laws in place to protect these rights. These include laws that prevent discrimination on the basis of race, age, gender or disability, or sexual or gender identity.
Other laws exist to protect workers, renters and those in shared accommodation. If you plan to work while you’re in Australia or live in rented or shared housing, it’s worth taking some time to read up on the rules that will apply to you.
Of course, it’s important to make sure you abide by the law during your time in Melbourne. However if someone else violates the law or your rights, here are some places to get support.
International student support
At Study Melbourne, we make it easy to get the assistance you need during your time in Australia. The Study Melbourne Hub living and studying in Victoria. We support students with a range of enquiries and issues including financial hardship, accommodation, wellbeing and mental health, and education provider problems. We also offer free employment and social events, and career development programs, study spaces, information sessions to help you get settled in, and free legal advice on accommodation and employment.
Workplace and employment support
As an international student, you have the same basic rights at work as Australian citizens, including minimum pay and condition standards.
The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is a government body that ensures organisations and employers treat employees fairly and in line with legislation. The FWO website offers ample resources to help you understand employment rules, including fact sheets, calculators and best practice guidelines.
If you have been treated unfairly at work, have experienced bullying or harassment, or have been underpaid, you can contact the FWO for assistance. You can also learn more about your working rights as an international student here.
View Transcript
[Inspiring music, text on screen: Victorian International Education Awards 2023, followed by speaker talking to camera, and various footage cutaways of speaker enjoying their study experience in Melbourne]
Felipe: My name is Felipe. I'm 22 years old. I come from Brazil. I currently study in Australia, and I also work as a part-time waiter at a café. When I started, my boss offered me $17 an hour, which I thought it was really good because this rate was much higher than what I could get paid In Brazil. I get paid to my bank account and on the same day I receive a pay slip.
After about six months, I was talking to one of my friends about our café jobs and I realised I was paid less than the legal minimum wage. I got a bit worried because I agreed to the rate when I started working at the café. I thought I broke the law by agreeing to a rate that's lower than the legal minimum wage. I told my friend about my concerns, then he told me I could ask the Fair Work Ombudsman, a government agency, for help.
So I did. To be honest, I was a bit surprised by how easy the process was because I had never contacted a government agency for help. I lodged an online inquiry through the Fair Work Ombudsman in my account, and not long after an advisor contacted me to discuss my situation. He told me about my workplace rights, including the minimum wage that I'm entitled for my job. He also said that it doesn't matter that I am an international student. I am entitled to the same workplace rights as any other worker in Australia. And I didn't break the law for agreeing to receive less than the legal minimum wage. I was so relieved to hear that I wasn't in any kind of trouble and they could help me.
The advisor told me how to get information about workplace rights from the Fair Work Ombudsman website, including the rates of pay that I'm entitled to. They also summarised the information we had discussed in my account inquiry so I could refer to it whenever I needed. I then worked out the difference over the last six months based on my pay slips. Because I have a good relationship with my boss, I was pretty happy to speak to him about the underpayment. My boss thanked me for letting him know the current rates and back paid me the difference. I now receive the correct rates, including a higher amount for working on weekends. I'm still working at the café, having a really good time, and I have made a lot of new friends.
If you're not sure about your workplace rights and if you're getting paid correctly at work, get in touch with the Fair Work Ombudsman. Don't be afraid to get advice and ask for help. They're very helpful. It was very easy to get in touch online using my account, or just simply visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website for information about workplace rights and obligations. It's also important to remember that you're not breaking the law for accepting a wage that's less than the legal minimum wage.
[On-screen logo]
Study Melbourne
[End transcript]
Consumer and rental support
If you have an issue with consumer goods or accommodation, Consumer Affairs Victoria is there for you. Through this entity, you can find information on a huge range of scenarios, from getting refunds on products or services to buying or selling a car.
The Consumer Affairs Victoria website is a great place to go to understand your rental rights. If something goes wrong with your housing, you can contact them for additional advice.
You can also get in touch with the Study Melbourne Hub can also arrange access to free legal advice on accommodation concerns.
For additional information on your rights as a renter, visit our Your rights when renting page.
For information on scams, visit our Shopping safely and avoiding scams page.
Seek support via Ask Izzy
The resources listed above are just a few examples of the support mechanisms in place in Australia. Should you need additional information or assistance, explore the services available via Ask Izzy.
Ask Izzy is a free app that can connect you with emergency housing, mental health care and counselling, legal advice, medical treatment, food and more. With Ask Izzy, you can find thousands of support resources right at your fingertips.
View Transcript
[Inspiring music, visual of AskIzzy logo, followed by jigsaw puzzle graphic and footage of two people talking]
Speaker 1: From money worries to mental health, any of us can need a bit of extra help sometimes. Whether you are looking for help for yourself or someone else, finding the right support can sometimes feel overwhelming. When you need help now or in the future, AskIzzy is here for you.
[Visual of AskIzzy logo, followed by text on screen and illustrated graphic of mobile phone]
AskIzzy is one website that gives you thousands of support services in your back pocket. It's easy to search for thousands of support services all in the one place. Your hands. You can get your hands on housing, food, or health services. When it's really needed, there's legal counselling, domestic violence support, and lots more. It's simple to use. A few clicks gets you there.
[Visual of people on mobile phone, followed by text on screen and illustrated graphic of man emptying pockets and footage of woman walking on footpath looking at mobile phone]
AskIzzy is also totally anonymous and it's free to use. Drop in your postcode and you can find your nearest services. If you're out of phone credit, no worries. You can access AskIzzy without credit or Wi-Fi on the Telstra and Vodafone Mobile Networks. If you are in a tough spot, no matter who or where you are, AskIzzy. It's easy, askizzy.org.au.
[On-screen logo]
AskIzzy
[End transcript]
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