Advice Service

Increased wait times

We’re currently experiencing higher than usual wait times for enquiries to our Advice Service.

We ask that you please only leave one message, as duplicate messages on the same topic lead to delays in responding to all enquiries. The usual time for calls to be responded to is one week.

We thank you for your patience as we answer enquiries as quickly as we can.

OPA's Advice Service provides information and assistance to:

• people with disability
• their family, carers and friends
• 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
• matters affecting people with disability
• referral to OPA's Community Visitors Program.

Your privacy and confidentiality are respected. If Advice Service staff are unable to help, they will refer you to a service that can. 

Contacting OPA

OPA Advice Service operates from Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm.

Telephone: 1300 309 337
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: [email protected]

In-person advice

If you have a general enquiry and would like to speak to an advisor in person, please complete the form below, advising when you are available to attend the OPA office.

The Office of the Public Advocate is located at: Level 1 204 Lygon Street, Carlton, Vic 3053.

Request for an in-person consultation  

After hours

For urgent matters that cannot wait until the next business day, you can contact OPA after hours.

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.