Basic Rights Queensland (BRQ) is a specialist community legal centre, providing free advice, advocacy and legal services state-wide by telephone.

Our committed staff, volunteers and students assist vulnerable people in matters relating to social security, disability discrimination and women’s employment issues.

BRQ CEO Kara Cook introduces the organisation, what we do and what we stand for.

We Provide

Help with Centrelink
We provide free information, advocacy and legal services on Social Security (Centrelink and Employment Services).

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Disability Discrimination Assistance
We provide advice and resources to protect your rights and help resolve disability discrimination matters.

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Working Women Qld
A free, confidential & supportive service designed to help vulnerable women seeking help with work-related matters.

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Mental Health Legal Help
Legal support for people with mental health issues and referrals to specialist community legal services for mental health.

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Where an issue has an impact on the broader community we may develop and conduct community education activities, and/or undertake research informing law reform projects where we advocate on behalf of the community.
  • Basic Rights Queensland’s specialist services are accessible via freecall numbers from anywhere in Queensland.
  • BRQ’s client work focuses on vulnerable and disadvantaged people:
  • 55% of our clients are people with disability, including mental illness
  • 97% of our clients are in very straitened financial circumstances
  • 14% of our clients have no income at the time of contact
  • Basic Rights Queensland’s social work services are offered to clients in need of brief counselling or linking in with local supports
  • BRQ’s plain English factsheets support understanding of the law, how to access rights and any related responsibilities
  • BRQ’s capacity-building training assists community, private sector and government workers to understand the law and how to assist their clients
  • BRQ’s law reform activities arise from the client work; they focus on informing government of the impacts of laws and policies on vulnerable people and on offering positive alternatives
  • BRQ has been operating for over 33 years with the support of volunteers, sponsors, donors and pro-bono assistance

Basic Rights Queensland: News

Improving accessibility of paid DFV leave

Improving accessibility of paid DFV leave

October 11, 2024

This week saw the release of the Independent Statutory Review of the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Act 2022. WWQ supports thousands of Queensland women each year, a large portion experiencing FDV at the same time as navigating workplace issues. We celebrated the introduction of paid FDV leave to the National … Read More

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Costs reform a gamechanger in access to justice in discrimination claims

Costs reform a gamechanger in access to justice in discrimination claims

September 20, 2024

The Power to Prevent Coalition (which includes Basic Rights Queensland) welcomes the costs reforms passed by parliament on 19 September 2024. The Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill implements recommendation 25 of the Respect@Work Report and adopts a modified equal access costs model in federal anti-discrimination law in Australia, addressing a key barrier … Read More

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New laws a major milestone for workplace equality

New laws a major milestone for workplace equality

September 10, 2024

Based on its work supporting women subjected to systemic workplace abuse, Working Women Queensland has welcomed amendments passed by the Queensland Parliament to fight workplace sexual harassment and discrimination. Eloise Dalton, Director of Working Women Queensland, highlighted the importance of the Respect at Work and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2024, for protecting vulnerable workers across … Read More

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In the 2021 to 2022 financial year Basic Rights Queensland helped 2313 people access 6506 services.

By percentage, our clients identified as:

64
Female Clients
55.38
People with a disability
97.88
Financially Disadvantaged
10.64
Regional and Remote
6.5
Culturally or Linguistically Diverse, or Indigenous Australians

Get Help Now: Call Basic Rights Queensland from anywhere in Queensland.

Make a booking for Telephone Advice here.

Social Security and Disability Discrimination telephone advice line

Free Call 1800 358 511

Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 4:00pm

Women’s Employment Issues telephone advice

Free Call 1800 358 511

Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 4:00pm