Basic Rights Queensland (BRQ) is a specialist community legal centre, providing free advice, advocacy and legal services across Queensland.

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

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

The Future of Work

The Future of Work

February 18, 2025

The Australian Parliament has just released its report, The Future of Work, on the rapid development and uptake of automated decision making and machine learning techniques in the workplace. Read more about the inquiry here. This is an important step toward ensuring that we keep pace with digital changes and protect workers’ rights along the … Read More

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WWQ looking forward to contributing to national research project BRIDGES AT WORK

WWQ looking forward to contributing to national research project BRIDGES AT WORK

February 11, 2025

Workplace sexual harassment remains a pervasive and deeply entrenched issue across industries in Australia. Despite legal reforms and workplace policies, traditional prevention approaches have struggled to create meaningful change. This is why Working Women Queensland (WWQ) is proud to be a key partner in a groundbreaking national research project designed to cultivate systemic safety and … Read More

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In 2023-24, Basic Rights Queensland helped 3,618 people access 10,998 services.

By percentage, our clients identified as:

72.4
Female Clients
10.64
Regional and Remote
6.5
Culturally or Linguistically Diverse, or Indigenous Australians
43.5
People with a disability

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

Make a booking for Telephone Advice here.

Free Call 1800 358 511

Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 4:00pm