COVID-19 Information

Please find below, a range of key COVID-19 information, resources, links and contact details. If you need further assistance, please call my team on (02) 9230 2822 or email adam.searle@parliament.nsw.gov.au

PUBLIC SAFETY

Emergency: 000
Police Assistance Line: 131 444
Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000
Child Protection Helpline: 13 2111

HEALTH

Emergency: Call 000
If you have flu-like symptoms, call the 24/7 National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
For general health advice, call 1800 022 222 or visit www.healthdirect.gov.au

NSW Health COVID-19 resources – including multilingual and Aboriginal health resources at www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/covid-19-resources.aspx

ACCESS TO MEDICATIONS FOR HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS 

Individuals considered to be high-risk can now have their medication delivered. More information at www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/covid-19-national-health-plan-home-medicines-services-information-for-consumers

MENTAL HEALTH

If you or anyone you know is suffering from mental health issues, please reach out and get the support available to you from the following:

Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36
Mensline: 1300 789 978
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800

COVID-19 GOVERNMENT INFORMATION

For up-to-date information from federal and state governments, please visit:

Commonwealth Government: www.australia.gov.au
NSW Government: preview.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

HELP WITH WORK AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Information about COVID-19 and changes to your rights at work available at coronavirus.fairwork.gov.au

Apply for financial support through Centrelink at: www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/affected-coronavirus-covid-19

Service NSW’s Hotline is now operating 24/7 on 13 77 88 and at www.service.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

Information about available financial support from the Commonwealth Government is available at: www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/coronavirus-covid-19-information-and-support

Information from the Commonwealth Government job search and support is available at: jobsearch.gov.au/covid-19-information

NSW Government jobs are advertised at: iworkfor.nsw.gov.au

Australian Public Service jobs are advertised at: www.apsjobs.gov.au/s/  

If you think you have been treated unfairly at work, contact your union. If you do not know which union covers your workplace, call 1300 486 466 or visit www.australianunions.org.au

If you think you have been treated unfairly at work, you can also contact the FairWork Ombudsman on 13 13 94 or www.fairwork.gov.au

ParentsNext (employment support for parents): call 1800 791 371 or visit www.employment.gov.au/parentsnext

BUSINESSES

Commonwealth Government support for people with businesses at 13 28 46 or business.gov.au/risk-management/emergency-management/coronavirus-information-and-support-for-business

NSW Government support for people with small businesses at 13 77 88 and www.smallbusiness.nsw.gov.au/get-help/covid-19-coronavirus-information-small-business-owners

AUSTRALIAN TAX OFFICE INFORMATION:

Visit the ATO’s website at www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Dealing-with-disasters/In-detail/Specific-disasters/COVID-19/

TENANCY AND HOUSING ISSUES

If you are at risk of becoming homeless, call Link2home: 1800 152 152

Information about emergency housing assistance is available at www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/help/ways/are-you-homeless

If you need housing assistance due to domestic violence call the Domestic Violence Line: 1800 656 463

Information from the Tenants Union of NSW about COVID-19 and renting is available at www.tenants.org.au/blog/renting-and-covid-19-information

FINANCIAL RELIEF

Most banks have offered relief for people experiencing hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. Links to support from the following banks are below:

If you feel you are being treated unfairly by a bank, insurer or other financial institution, you can call the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) on 1800 337 444 or 1800 931 678. Information from AFCA on COVID-19 is at: www.afca.org.au

Other financial assistance is available from:

LEGAL HELP

LawAcess NSW (Free Legal Helpline): call 1300 888 529 or visit www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au

Find your local community legal centres in NSW at www.clcnsw.org.au

HELP FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Commonwealth Government Advice: www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-older-australians

NSW Ageing and Disability Abuse Helpline: 1800 628 221

NSW Ageing and Disability Commission: www.ageingdisabilitycommission.nsw.gov.au

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: call 1800 951 822 or visit www.agedcarequality.gov.au/covid-19-coronavirus-information

Seniors Rights Service (non-government advice, advocacy and referral): 1800 424 079 or seniorsrightsservice.org.au

HELP FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

NSW Ageing and Disability Abuse Helpline: 1800 628 221

NSW Ageing and Disability Commission: www.ageingdisabilitycommission.nsw.gov.au

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (for complaints about NDIS providers): call 1800 035 544 or visit www.ndiscommission.gov.au

From National Disability Services there is also some important information: www.nds.org.au/resources/coronavirus-covid-19

Further information for people with disability: pwd.org.au/covid-19-hub/

For disability support services: pwd.org.au/covid-19-hub/disability-support/

For information on income support: pwd.org.au/covid-19-hub/income-support/  

HELP FOR MIGRANTS AND PEOPLE FROM CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

Translation and Interpreting Services (TIS): Call 131 450 and a TIS interpreter will interpret information for you; or visit www.tisnational.gov.au

Multicultural Care: call (02) 9718 6199 or visit multiculturalcare.com.au/covid-19-updates/

Immigration Advice and Rights Centre: call (02) 8234 0700 or visit iarc.asn.au/

Refugee Advice and Caseworks Service: call (02) 8355 7227 or visit www.racs.org.au

NSW Health COVID-19 translated material: www.health.nsw.gov.au/…/Pag…/covid-19-resources.aspx

Further COVID-19 information and resources in over 60 languages: www.sbs.com.au/language/coronavirus

MIGRATION AND OVERSEAS TRAVEL INFORMATION

The Australian Government has imposed significant restrictions on people entering or leaving Australia. Exemptions may apply. These restrictions and exemptions continue to change frequently.

The latest information about entering Australia is available at covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au

The latest information regarding travel conditions in other countries is available at www.smartraveller.gov.au

For urgent consular assistance, please call the Consular Emergency Centre (CEC) in Canberra on 1300 555 135.

EDUCATION

Parents are encouraged to keep their children at home and access their school’s learning from home programs. Up-to-date advice can be found at education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/school-safety/novel-coronavirus.html

Find more information about learning from home at education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/learning-from-home

PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS

Find up-to-date public health orders at preview.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/public-health-orders

PROTECTING YOURSELF AND OTHERS

NSW Government advice: preview.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others

Commonwealth Government advice: www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others-from-coronavirus-covid-19

You can also stay informed by downloading the official government ‘Coronavirus Australia” app on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Need further assistance? Please call my team on (02) 9230 2822 or email adam.searle@parliament.nsw.gov.au