Are you facing a problem and need legal help or an advocate (someone who will speak for you)?
This section offers some key AoNZ organisations that can help, though there are others. The best option depends on where you live and what you need. You should find the right support from the list below!
Services below are listed in alphabetical order (A-Z).
Aotearoa Disability Law
The Aotearoa Disability Law Centre offers free legal help to all New Zealanders with disabilities, regardless of location. They assist with various issues including money, housing, employment, health, privacy, and family matters, aiming to make justice accessible to everyone.
Tel: 09 257 5140 or 027 457 5140 (Text Only)
Email: [email protected]
Auckland Disability Law website
Mangere Community Law Center, Unit 9, Shop 27, Bader Dr, Mangere, Auckland
Beneficiaries Advocacy and Information Services (BAIS)
BIAS provides free advocacy and support for beneficiaries and low-income families in Auckland's North Shore, Rodney and Hibiscus Coast districts. BAIS can help you with government benefits. They can help explain your options, fill out forms, and even speak to government agencies for you.
Tel: 09 444 9543
Email: [email protected]
BAIS website
Glenfield Community Centre, 96 Bentley Avenue, Glenfield, Auckland
Better Lives Legal – Specialists in Disability Law
Better Lives Legal is a private specialist disability legal service offered by well-known disability law specialist, Nan Jensen. Nan knows about disability from the lived experience and brings that true understanding to her mahi/work.
There is a fee for this service.
Tel: 021 250 0315
Email: [email protected]
Better Lives Legal website
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Citizens Advice Bureaus (CABs) are located all around the motu/country. They offer free advice on legal rights and obligations. Citizens Advice Bureaus can also provide information and advice about disability law, including:
Health and disability advocacy: Citizens Advice Bureaus can connect people with health and disability advocates who can help with concerns about the quality of service from a health practitioner or disability service provider.
Legal advice: Some Citizens Advice Bureaus can provide initial legal advice.
Referrals: Citizens Advice Bureaus can provide referrals to local community centres.
Some Citizen Advice Bureaus can also provide you with free advice if you are having trouble with your Ministry of Social Development benefit.
Tel: 0800 367 222 (freephone)
Citizens Advice website
Community Law Centres
Community Law Centres in New Zealand provide free legal advice and assistance to people who generally can't afford to pay for legal services. Community Law is all around the country, from Kaitāia to Rēkohu (the Chatham Islands).
Click here to find out more from the Community Law website.
Click here to find your local Community Law office.
FASD-CAN’s FASD Navigators
Our navigators, Anna Gundesen (Auckland) and RuruHana Brownie (Northland) can:
- support people caring for tamariki/children and rangitahi/young people impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure
- provide advocacy for individuals, whānau, parents and caregivers – they’ll speak on your behalf if you need help
- support the whole whānau to live their best lives.
Areas we might help with are:
- Education
- Employment
- Justice
- Health issues.
You can contact them by calling, texting or emailing them directly.
Click here to meet our FASD-CAN Navigators and get their contact details.
Hours: Anna Monday to Thursday between 9am-4pm, RuruHana Tuesday-Thursday 8.30am-2pm.
Free Employment legal advice
If you are having trouble with an employer, these organisations may be able to help:
Employment Service Centre: Call 0800 20 90 20 for information on your rights. Employment New Zealand
Labour Inspector: Contact the Labour Inspector if you believe there is a company-wide issue with:
- Breaches of minimum code legislation
- Ongoing underpayment of wages
- Unlawful deductions being made from employees' pay
- For more information click here: Labour Inspectorate website
Health and Disability Commissioner and Commission (HDC)
The HDC in New Zealand promotes and protects the rights of people who use health and disability services. They investigate complaints about the treatment you receive, or don’t receive but should, from New Zealand health and disability service providers.
If you have concerns or problems with a health or disability service provider you can approach the Commission for help and advice.
The Commissioner:
- Investigates complaints about treatment received from health and disability service providers.
- Resolves complaints in a fair, timely, and effective way.
- Holds providers to account for improving their practices at an individual and system-wide level.
- Promotes respect for rights and observance of the rights of health and disability services consumers through education and publicity.
- The HDC is independent of providers, consumers, and government policy.
Tel: 0800 11 22 33 (free phone)
Email: [email protected]
Health and Disability Commissioner website
Human Rights Commission (HRC)
HRC is New Zealand’s national human rights institution (NHRI) and it works under the Human Rights Act 1993. Their purpose is he whakamana tāngata, a life of dignity for all. The Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA) and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (NZBORA) protect the right of disabled people to be free from discrimination (with some exceptions). They provide support for people who have had their human rights breached through their complaints and dispute resolution process.
Our laws say that you cannot discriminate against someone because of their disability. Disability includes a physical, sensory, mental, intellectual or learning impairment or long-term illness, or if you are reliant on a disability assistance dog. If you believe your human rights have been breached you can contact the HRC to discuss your issue and concerns.
Tel: 0800 496 877 (free phone) | 021 0236 4253 (text only)
Email: [email protected]
Human Rights Commission website
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service
The Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service in New Zealand provides free, independent, and confidential advice and support to help people resolve disputes with health and disability services. This includes:
- Informing you about your rights: learn about your rights when using health or disability services
- Replying to your questions: get answers to questions about health and disability services
- Providing information about how to make a complaint: talk through your options for making a complaint
- Getting support: receive support throughout the process
This is a free service available across the motu/country between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday and NZSL translations are available. The service operates independently from all health and disability service providers, government agencies, and the Health and Disability Commission (HDC).
The service has 23 community-based offices throughout New Zealand.
Click here to find an advocate / office near you.
Tel: 0800 555 050 (free phone)
Email: [email protected]
Nationwide Health and Disability Advisory Service website
New Zealand Law Society (NZLS)
NZLS helps the public in many ways, including:
- Guidance for lawyers on how they can be more inclusive of disabled people as clients and colleagues.
- Resources for increased accessibility for clients with disabilities, such as information on Accessibility - Work and Income and information on NZ Relay.
The NZLS’s role is to regulate the legal profession and protect the public's access to legal services. If you have an issue with any legal service you have received, you can make a complaint to NZLS and they will investigate your complaint.
Click here: Lawyers Complaints Service | New Zealand Law Society
NZLS has 13 branches nationwide with their head office in Auckland. You can find out if there is one near you here: New Zealand Law Society branches. You can also contact them to talk with a legal aid lawyer to find out if you qualify for legal aid.
Tel: O800 261 801 (Freephone) | 04 472 7837 (National office)
Email: [email protected]
New Zealand Law Society website
Ombudsman
The Ombudsman in New Zealand is an independent and impartial agency that helps New Zealanders deal with government agencies. They do this by:
- Investigating complaints against government agencies and providing feedback to encourage good administration.
- Monitoring places of detention like prisons, secure aged-care units, and mental health facilities to ensure people are treated appropriately.
- Ensuring fair treatment for disabled people by monitoring the rights of disabled people and investigating complaints about government agencies.
- Assisting with official information requests for information from government agencies or Ministers.
- Listening to whistleblowers if you think someone at a public or private organisation has done something wrong.
- Supporting children and young people by investigating issues and receiving complaints about Oranga Tamariki or its care and custody providers.
You can contact the Ombudsman if you have a problem with a government agency, including:
- Central government agencies
- Local government agencies
- Crown entities
- Tertiary education institutions
- School boards of trustees
- State owned enterprises
You can also call the Ombudsman for advice on whether they can help you. You can check the Ombudsman's Complaints A-Z to see if your issue is listed here: Ombudsman's Complaints A-Z webpage
Tel: 0800 802 602 (freephone) | 04 473 9533
Email: [email protected]
Ombudsman website
People First New Zealand Inc.
People First New Zealand Inc. is a national Disabled Persons Organisation that advocates for the rights of people with learning disabilities.
People First support disabled persons to:
- make sure people with learning disability can speak up and be heard on things that are important to them in government, in services and in the community
- represent people with a learning disability who cannot speak for themselves
- promote the rights of people with learning disabilities.
You can access People First New Zealand’s Easy Read resources covering a wide range of topics here: Easy Read Library
Tel: 0800 20 60 70 (freephone) | 04 381 3242 (National office)
Email: [email protected]
People First website
Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust (PASAT)
The PASAT provides lifelong advocacy for enrolled members with learning disabilities after the death of their parents. The Trust is a charitable organisation that provides services to help New Zealand adults with care and support needs live free from abuse, neglect, and harm (safeguarding services). Some areas they work in are:
- Advocacy: PASAT advocates for the rights of people they support, and helps them maintain those rights so they can receive the best services. PASAT offers short-term advocacy to resolve specific issues, and lifelong advocacy for enrolled members.
- Safeguarding: PASAT provides safeguarding services, including supported decision-making support and training, and a coordinated inter-agency response for Adults at Risk.
- Funds: PASAT offers funds for people who can't afford safeguarding services.
- PASAT is financially independent of the government, and is funded through fees and investment interest.
Tel: 0800 728 7878 (freephone)
Email: [email protected]
Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust website
Talking Trouble Aotearoa NZ
Talking Trouble AoNZ helps people of all ages with communication difficulties, especially those involved in legal, care and protection, or mental health systems. They provide Communication Assistants (CAs) for court proceedings to help ensure understanding. For people with FASD, this is especially important because communication challenges can lead to further legal problems. Talking Trouble helps break down complex legal information and creates a supportive environment to reduce stress and improve understanding.
Talking Trouble has a Communication Assistance Application form for help in Court. You can access it here: Communication Assistance Application form (in court)
They also have an online contact form you can fill out and they will get back to you. You can find this at the bottom of the page here: Contact Form
Tel: 09 889 8738
Email: [email protected]
Talking Trouble website
YouthLaw
YouthLaw is one of the 24 Community Law Centres providing free legal services to children and young people in AoNZ. They are a specialist youth legal service that operates across the motu/country. Anyone under 25 who can't access legal help elsewhere, or people acting on their behalf (e.g. a parent), can access these services.
Tel: 0800 UTHLAW or 0800 884 529 (freephone advice line)
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
YouthLaw website or YouthLaw free Legal Advice line
Level 1, Westfield Shopping Centre, 5 Leyton Way, Manukau, Auckland 2104