Help and FAQs
As part of an independent tribunal, QCAT registry staff cannot provide legal advice.
QCAT registry staff are not involved in the decision-making of the Tribunal. If you want the Tribunal to make a decision about something, you must ask the Tribunal to do so by completing and lodging the appropriate application form.
Registry staff can explain and answer questions about how QCAT works and its processes.
Registry staff cannot help with:
- whether or not you should submit an application
- whether your application is under the correct jurisdiction
- if you should lodge an appeal or a counter-application
- recommending a specific lawyer to assist you
- how to word your application, supporting documents or what to say at a proceeding
- contacting a QCAT member or adjudicator directly
- predicting likely outcomes of a case or appeal
- helping you to prepare your case
- advising what orders/decisions you should seek
- explaining what you should do to follow QCAT directions
- enforcing an order or decision of the tribunal
- advising exact timeframes for resolution of a matter – this depends on your individual matter.
For legal advice:
* Contact the private solicitor of your choice.
* Use Queensland Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service.
* Contact Legal Aid Queensland on 1300 65 11 88.
* Contact Community Legal Centres Queensland for details of your local community legal centre on 07 3392 0092.
* LawRight partners with the private legal profession to deliver pro bono (free) legal services to individuals and community groups. LawRight’s services are means tested.
For advocacy support for the Adult:
Queensland Advocacy Incorporated is an independent, community-based system and legal advocacy organisation for people with disability in Queensland | 1300 130 582 |
ADA Law, a division of Aged and Disability Advocacy Australia, provides legal advice, representation, and non-legal advocacy and information, to adults whose decision-making capacity is impaired or in question. | 1800 232 529 (freecall) |
Independent Advocacy Townsville provides assistance and referrals for people with a disability in North Queensland. | 1800 887 688 (freecall) |
Queensland legislation related to administration matters includes:
- Disability Services Act 2006
- Disability Services and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2016
- Guardianship and Administration Act 2000
- Mental Health Act 2000
- Powers of Attorney Act 1998
- Public Guardian Act 2014
- Public Trustee Act 1978
- Trust Act 1973
- Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009
- Residential Services (Accreditation) Act 2002
- Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008.
The Acts are available on the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website.
Commonwealth legislation related to administration matters includes:
- Aged Care Act (Commonwealth) 1997
- Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992
- National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013
These Acts are available on the Federal Register of Legislation.
Decisions about guardianship matters made by:
- the Guardianship and Administration Tribunal before 1 December 2009, can be found in the Queensland Guardianship and Administration Tribunal section on the Australasian Legal Information Institute website
- QCAT after 1 December 2009, can be found in the guardianship and administration or clinical research matters section on the Supreme Court of Queensland Library website.