Contact

Support for Timorese PALM Workers in Australia

Important links and information for PALM workers in Australia

What this is

Who to contact if something goes wrong at work: pay, safety, dismissal or discrimination.

What to bring

Keep everything: emails, text messages, medical records, payslips, incident reports and names.

Where to go

The Australian agency listed for your problem, then the Embassy or your nearest consulate.

Who to call

Workplace injury or unsafe work conditions

Your state or territory work safety regulator
SafeWork NSW, NT WorkSafe, WorkSafe ACT, WorkSafe WA, WorkSafe Queensland, SafeWork SA, WorkSafe Tasmania, WorkSafe Victoria. National body: Safe Work Australia.

Why: they handle workplace safety and workers’ compensation claims.

Unfair dismissal or workplace dispute

Fair Work Commission (fwc.gov.au)

Why: they deal with unfair dismissal, general protections and workplace disputes. You must lodge a claim within 21 days of being dismissed.

Underpayment, exploitation or not being paid

Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au)

Why: they investigate wage theft, unpaid entitlements, visa protections and employer misconduct.

Discrimination based on race, religion, sex, disability or other grounds

Australian Human Rights Commission (humanrights.gov.au)

Why: they investigate and conciliate complaints of discrimination and harassment under federal law.

State and territory equal opportunity bodies

WA Equal Opportunity Commission, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, SA Equal Opportunity Commission, Anti-Discrimination NSW, NT Anti-Discrimination Commission, ACT Human Rights Commission, Equal Opportunity Tasmania, Queensland Human Rights Commission.

Why: state-level bodies investigate and mediate discrimination and harassment complaints.

Legal or community support

  • Community Legal Centres: free legal advice for migrant and low-income workers.
  • Your union, if you have one, can represent or support you.
  • The Embassy or your nearest consulate can provide further assistance and referrals.

Keep all records and call the Embassy

Document everything: emails, text messages, medical records, payslips, incident reports and the names of everyone you spoke to. This matters for any complaint or legal process.

Last checked 8 September 2026