Your Rights
Know your rights. You deserve to be treated fairly — and there are people who can help if you're not.
These pages explain what you're entitled to as an Aboriginal person in Victoria. They're written in plain English. If you think your rights have been breached, VALS and Swan Hill CLC can help — for free.
Centrelink & Money
Your Centrelink rights
Aboriginal people have the right to culturally safe Centrelink services, Indigenous Contact Officers, and interpreter support. If Centrelink makes a mistake, you have the right to challenge it.
Read more →Your rights at Centrelink
Aboriginal people have the right to culturally safe Centrelink services, interpreter support, and the Indigenous Contact Officer program.
Read more →Education
Your education rights
Every Aboriginal child has the right to education and to have their culture respected at school. Aboriginal students have the right to support, not punishment, and to appeal suspension decisions.
Read more →Your rights at school — Aboriginal students
Every Aboriginal child has the right to education with their culture respected. Schools must not suspend Aboriginal students unfairly, and you can request cultural support.
Read more →Work & Employment
Family & Violence
Health
Your health rights as an Aboriginal person
Aboriginal people have the right to bulk-billed healthcare, culturally safe services, and access to Closing the Gap programs. ACCHOs in Victoria must bulk-bill.
Read more →Your rights under Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap is a government strategy to improve Aboriginal health outcomes. As an Aboriginal person, you have specific entitlements to cheaper medicine, bulk-billed healthcare, and culturally safe services.
Read more →Housing
Your housing rights as an Aboriginal person in Victoria
As an Aboriginal person in Victoria, you have priority access to public housing and specific rights as a tenant. These rights are designed to address the disadvantage Aboriginal people face in housing.
Read more →Your rights when renting — Victoria
As a tenant in Victoria, you have significant protections under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997. Your landlord cannot evict you without proper notice and a valid reason.
Read more →NDIS & Disability
Your NDIS rights
The NDIS is your right if you have a permanent disability. Aboriginal people should be able to access it without discrimination. If NDIS makes a wrong decision about you, you can appeal.
Read more →Your NDIS rights
The NDIS is your right if you have a permanent disability. You can appeal decisions, bring an advocate, and choose your own providers.
Read more →Police & Justice
Your rights when police interact with you
Police must follow rules when they interact with you. You have rights — including the right to remain silent, the right to a lawyer, and the right to make a complaint if treated unfairly.
Read more →Your rights when dealing with police
You have rights when police interact with you. Police must follow rules, and there are independent bodies you can complain to if those rules are broken.
Read more →Stolen Generations
Your rights as a member of the Stolen Generations
If you or your family were directly affected by forced removals, there are specific support services and reparations available. You are not alone.
Read more →Your rights as a Stolen Generations survivor
If you or your family were directly affected by forced removals under past government policies, there are specific support services and reparations available to you.
Read more →