Advice Service
The Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) Advice Service responds to more than 13,000 requests a year from people with disability and their family, carers and friends.
The service also provides advice and assistance to professionals from the health, human services, legal, community services and government sectors.
OPA’s team of highly trained staff can provide advice on a diverse range of matters that affect people with disability, including:
- guardianship and administration
- enduring powers of attorney
- medical treatment decision-making
- referral to OPA's Community Visitors Program.
Privacy and confidentiality are respected. If Advice Service staff are unable to help, they will refer you to a service that can.
Contacting the Advice Service
How to contact the OPA Advice Service
The OPA Advice Service operates from Monday to Friday from 9am to 4:45pm.
Telephone: 1300 309 337
TTY: 1300 305 612
National Relay Service: 133 677
If the Advice Service telephone line is busy, you can leave your contact details and an adviser will return your call as soon as possible.
You can also contact the OPA Advice Service by:
Fax: 1300 787 510
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In person: In-person visits are currently unavailable due to COVID-19 restrictions.
After hours advice
OPA provides an after-hours service for advice on urgent matters that cannot wait until the next business day.
Urgent matters include:
• emergency situations relating to people who have an OPA guardian
• advice for medical professionals about urgent medical consent issues
• urgent guardianship or administration applications
• seeking advice on protection of a person with disability from abuse, violence or neglect
• advice for private guardians appointed by VCAT confronted with an urgent issue.
Phone: 1300 309 337.
Your call will be automatically transferred to the after-hours service. If the matter is not urgent, you will be asked to contact OPA during business hours.