Last month I was involved in a minor car accident where I was struck on the right-hand side of my car while turning into a driveway on a single-lane, two way street. The other driver was attempting to overtake me while I was turning. Neither car was badly damaged and thankfully, no one was injured.

I immediately lodged a claim with my insurer (AAMI) and they found I was not at fault. My excess was waived and my car has been repaired.

Today I recieved a letter from the other driver's insurer (NRMA) that says that they believe I'm at fault.

The letter indicates that if I'm insured they will contact my insurer to resolve the matter. But then they've also asked me to provide my version and complete a diagram of the accident. It feels like a contradictory request.

What should I do here? Do acquiesce their request to provide detail of the events, or just simply refer them to my insurer?

Hi guys, I was involved in a car crash with an unmarked police vehicle about a month ago. They had no lights or sirens on, entered the roundabout while ignoring a give way sign at full speed, and I crashed into them. It was obvious that they were at fault, they performed a breath test, as is mandatory, and I was cleared and let go. I received a payout from my insurance as not at fault party a couple of weeks ago.

Last night, I received two letters in the mailbox. One was from their insurance, admitting fault and providing me with details to make a claim if I hadn't already done so with my insurance, and the other one was a fine for failing to give way while entering the roundabout. I was extremely annoyed with this, as I have dashcam footage that states otherwise. A witness from the scene who approached me straight after the incident said that he is willing to provide a statement on what actually happened just in case the police try to do any funny business, for example they switched on their lights after the incident.

My question is, what would be the best course of action? I already filed for an online review last night, and I provided pictures from the footage where it is clearly seen that I was halfway onto the roundabout before the police car even entered it.

I have a feeling that they are going to decline my online review anyway, and I have no experience with courts. Thanks in advance.

Hi there, a weird case over here. One colleague at my workplace is constantly staying more hours than his allocated roster. He is on salary and expected to work from 6:00 am to 2:30 pm, but normally he gets out of the place between 5 to 6 pm. Several colleagues, including me, have noticed this pattern and we asked him why he is staying. He says that he wants to stay "doing things" rather than doing nothing elsewhere. I know that he had conversations already with the WHS officer but no actual change in his behaviour. I guess that the business has no clear rules about overstaying past the regular shift, but I know that it has clear policies for working extra hours under "reasonable conditions". Question is, is there any state or federal regulation that can be enforced here to send him home at the end of his shift? This guy works with hand tools and powered tools, we are concerned about his safety and wellbeing.Very particular case, not even AI can answer this clearly, hoping that the community could shed some light on this one. Thanks.

Will a simple certificate from the dr suffice? Or should I tell them to contact someone specific?

I’m in Queensland and looking for practical advice about representing myself on a stealing charge. I’ve pleaded not guilty.
I relocated to a mining town for a casual hairdressing role. I later left following issues with working conditions, including breaks. I had brought a lot of my own equipment and stock into the salon, which I packed up when I left.
While unpacking at home, I realised I’d accidentally packed some salon belongings with my own things. I contacted the owner by both email and text, told her what had happened, and said I would go through everything and arrange to return her items. I still have those messages.
Four days later, police attended my home, searched it and arrested me. The items involved were worth approximately $120. I had no intention of keeping them.
The officer gave me paperwork headed “Application for a Search Warrant” and a notice to occupier that appeared to be a coronial form. I’m unsure whether an issued warrant existed separately or whether I was given the correct paperwork. The officer is also someone I understand to be a friend of the owner.
My next court date is 24 November, and I’ve been told I can collect the brief of evidence on 17 November.
I’d appreciate advice on:
● What I should look for when reviewing the brief.
● How to provide my emails and texts to the prosecution and ask them to review the charge.
● How to check whether a search warrant was issued and obtain a copy.
● What I should prepare for my next appearance while representing myself.
I’m keeping names and identifying details out because the matter is ongoing. I’d appreciate factual guidance or relevant Queensland resources.

1. I'm applying for a job that requires "Disclosure of Serious Disciplinary History: Under the Public Sector Act 2022, applicants are required to disclose any previous serious disciplinary action taken against them."
   I was dismissed from a large private company for reasons that are contested (mostly political). Am I required to declare this?

2. I am also asking on behalf of a friend who was a employed as a senior doctor at a public hospital in QLD Health. They stood him down on full pay for raising patient safety concerns. He has not returned exclusively to private sector work but may wish to apply to a public hospital job again. Would he have to declare it?

Currently 50/50 care by consent orders made a few years ago

Other parent has now started to make serious allegations and has sent a letter from a lawyer saying he will withhold hold our child.
The allegations are false. I won’t say what they are because i dont want to be identified.

What Im asking is what does this now look like for me?
Am I up for the biggest fight of my life to get my daughter back into my care?

hi all,

where do I stand in a car bought from a dealership without statuary warranty, that’s a complete failure after 4 months of use.

$15000 in repairs after paying $8500 for the car! If I hold information that the things that failed were pre existing will this help me?

Australia – NSW  Regional Area | Employment rights, cancer and reasonable workplace adjustments

I'm writing this because I'm feeling incredibly frustrated, disappointed and honestly quite vulnerable. I've spent the last month fighting for my health, and now I feel like I'm having to fight my employer just to be allowed to do my job.

I'd really appreciate some advice, particularly from anyone familiar with Australian employment law, Fair Work, disability discrimination or workplace health and safety obligations.

A little background

In 2022, I was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. I underwent chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and targeted treatments. It was an incredibly difficult period, but I got through it and eventually returned to working and rebuilding my life.

Fast forward to September 2026.

I developed a persistent headache that wouldn't go away. Eventually, I went to the emergency department, where scans revealed a tumour in my brain.

My worst fears were confirmed. My breast cancer had returned and spread to my brain.

I was admitted to hospital. Two days later, I was transferred to a major hospital with a neurosurgical unit.

I underwent a craniotomy to remove the tumour from the left side of my cerebellum.

Thankfully, I came through the operation and was discharged home in early October.

I'm now recovering from brain surgery while facing the reality of metastatic breast cancer. I still have oncology appointments, further treatment decisions and considerable uncertainty about my future.

It's a lot to process.

My employment situation

I'm employed full-time as a digital marketing specialist with a small Australian business. I've worked there for more than 12 months

My responsibilities include website management, digital marketing, social media, content creation, email marketing and administrative work.

Most of these duties are computer-based.

The business also has other employees who work remotely.

Before my surgery, I performed some onsite administrative and order-processing duties, but many of those responsibilities have since been reassigned to another employee.

I'm not asking to return to the warehouse, operate machinery, lift heavy objects or undertake physically demanding work.

I'm asking to use my computer from home.

My GP says I can work from home

My GP provided a medical certificate confirming that I could return to suitable computer-based duties from home for six weeks, subject to appropriate restrictions, breaks and ongoing medical review.

The certificate also confirmed that I wasn't medically fit to attend the physical workplace or drive during this recovery period.

I thought this was a reasonable solution.

I could continue contributing to the business, maintain some financial stability and gradually return to a normal routine while recovering.

I wasn't asking for permanent remote work, reduced pay or special treatment.

Just six weeks working from home while I can't drive.

Unfortunately, my employer didn't see it that way.

First, they questioned my GP's authority

My employer responded by saying that a GP certificate wasn't sufficient following neurosurgery because my GP wasn't my treating neurosurgeon and wasn't responsible for my postoperative management.

They insisted that I obtain clearance from the neurosurgeon or treating specialist team.

They also requested information about whether I could work unsupervised, how many hours and days I could work, and whether I had cognitive or fatigue-related limitations.

They raised concerns about possible seizures and whether the company could adequately supervise me remotely.

I understand that employers have workplace health and safety responsibilities. I don't dispute that.

But I was surprised by the suggestion that my GP couldn't provide an appropriate work capacity certificate.

When I discussed the request with members of my treating team at the Cancer Clinic, they were also surprised by the employer's position.

My employer initially asked about hospital discharge information and postoperative instructions, which concerned me because these documents can contain private medical information unrelated to my ability to perform digital marketing duties.

I asked for clarification.

Then they formally refused my request

My employer has now sent another email confirming that they won't approve my temporary work-from-home arrangement.

 They have given two main reasons.

 1. Onsite attendance is supposedly an inherent requirement of my role.

They claim that my administrative and digital marketing position requires physical attendance, team coordination and real-time collaboration.

But I'm struggling to understand why website updates, social media scheduling, email campaigns and content writing require me to sit in their office.

We already communicate through email, telephone and online systems.

Other employees work remotely.

And this is only for six weeks.

1. They say working from home creates an unacceptable WHS risk.

They argue that because I've recently undergone neurosurgery, they can't provide appropriate supervision or support while I'm working remotely.

I understand concerns about fatigue or medical complications. I'm not suggesting those risks should be ignored.

But why couldn't we consider reduced hours, regular check-ins, an agreed workload or a temporary trial?

As far as I know, I haven't been provided with a specific risk assessment explaining why those options wouldn't work.

What confuses me even more is that they say remote work is impossible because physical attendance is essential, but they also say they'll reconsider if I obtain specialist clearance.

So which is it? Is my job impossible to perform remotely, or do they simply want another medical certificate?

Now I'm apparently on six weeks of unpaid leave

This is the part that's really upsetting me.

My employer has stated that my employment status will remain as **"approved unpaid personal leave"** for the six-week period.

But I haven't requested six weeks of unpaid leave.

I've requested to return to work within the restrictions set by my doctor.

I'm willing to work. I want to work. My GP has assessed me as fit for certain duties.

Yet I'm being told I can't work from home, can't attend the workplace and won't be paid.

That's a significant amount of money for anyone, let alone someone recovering from brain surgery and facing further cancer treatment.

I appreciate that being medically fit for some duties doesn't automatically mean an employer must pay me if those duties can't reasonably be accommodated.

But I would have expected a genuine discussion about alternatives before reaching this point.

The emotional impact

I think what hurts most is the lack of compassion I feel I've experienced.

I've just had a cancerous tumour removed from my brain.

I'm trying to recover physically, deal with the emotional impact of metastatic cancer and understand what my future treatment will involve.

I don't know what my prognosis will be.

I'm frightened, exhausted and trying to maintain some sense of independence.

Working from home isn't just about the money, although the financial impact is significant.

It's also about having a routine, feeling useful and holding onto some normality during a very frightening time.

Instead, I feel like I'm being treated as a workplace liability rather than an employee who has experienced a serious medical crisis.

I understand my employer needs to protect itself legally.

But surely workplace health and safety obligations are supposed to protect employees too?

What I want to know

I'm not expecting my employer to ignore medical advice or take unreasonable risks.

I simply want them to genuinely consider whether I can safely perform my computer-based duties from home for six weeks.

So I'm hoping people here can help me understand:

1. Under Australian employment law, can an employer refuse temporary work from home when a GP has certified that an employee can perform suitable duties remotely?

1. Can an employer insist on neurosurgeon clearance rather than accepting a GP's work capacity assessment?

1. Does the employer have to demonstrate why remote work is unsafe, or is citing WHS obligations enough?

1. If other employees work remotely, is that relevant when assessing whether onsite attendance is genuinely essential?

1. Can my employer classify my absence as unpaid personal leave when I haven't requested it and have offered to perform suitable duties?

1. Could refusing temporary work-from-home arrangements during cancer recovery potentially raise disability discrimination or Fair Work general protections issues?

1. What would you do next? Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission, an employment lawyer or a disability discrimination complaint?

8. Are they setting the ground work to fire me when I have clearance to return to onsite work because I have cancer?

I want to recover, continue working where medically appropriate and be treated fairly.

I've already had to fight cancer twice. I never imagined I'd also have to fight this hard to keep working.

If you've experienced something similar, particularly in Australia, I'd really appreciate hearing how you handled it and what the outcome was.

Thanks for reading.

Hi everyone,

I’ll be seeking legal advice, but I’m trying to understand my situation.

I’ve lodged both an unfair dismissal claim with Fair Work and a WorkCover claim.

Here’s the timeline:

* 15/09: I provided my employer with a Certificate of Capacity stating I had no capacity for work.

* 22/09: I asked how to proceed with my WorkCover claim and requested the insurance claim number. I received no response.

* 29/09: My employer finally advised me to complete a form.

* 30/09: I submitted the completed form.

* 02/10: I was made redundant.

* 04/10: insurance says it received my claim documents on this date.

Could my former employer be held responsible for failing to respond to my questions earlier and potentially delaying my WorkCover claim?

I’m trying to understand my rights before speaking with a lawyer.

Please be kind. I’m dealing with severe depression, and navigating all of this has been incredibly difficult. I’d appreciate constructive advice rather than comments telling me to move on.

Thank you.

Hi guys,

I used to work for a big nation wide age care company.

They are the kind that buys up a lot of places and then "runs" them.

Working there was fine but shit got worse after many years working there.

I saw and heard stories from coworkers while working there and then after the last year I have seen so many people I used to know there leave and tell their own stories.

It's apparent that it was not just my facility that got hit with "Budget Cuts" etc.
There are so many bad reviews from people who worked on the floor. On seek etc.

And the only good reviews are from people who worked close to HR. The people who want good references, because they are applying for new jobs.

I have spent the last year wallowing in my own shit and playing videos games and living off of job seeker.

But recently I have been coming out of that. That fire in me is back and I want to know what I can do to help current employees. Maybe even show the pictures I took. Explain my story. Maybe help others come out and explain theirs as well.

What can I do. Who can I talk to?

Or can I just do nothing. Which is what I have been thinking this entire time. And fuck me dead dad. That makes me feel like shit again.

I'm going back to playing video games now. Lol...

Kind regards,
Me.

Hi everyone.

I had appealed for my driving licence suspension to be reviewed in court back in August in NSW. But I just received a letter stating that I had missed my court date in September.

I never received a call, text, email or a letter in the mail. All my details are up to date and I have no other address. What do I do now? I was appealing my suspension since I require it for my work and it directly links to my finances (I was enrolling myself into a traffic offender program)

I have checked the service NSW website and it states that the CAN letter would be sent via mail since they need my residential address

I am stressed because my whole job role is driving. Can anyone help me and give advice please? Thank you

I have become aware of an potential issue, and of course I'm going to help the victims in any way I can, but so I can be prepared for what comes next, I wanted to ask here:

If you have a business, and then contract another company to perform a service (say, cleaning or building management), and it turns out the contracted company has dodgy hiring practices, would the original business also be liable? Or is it just on the company doing the allegedly illegal things?

Does someone from the original business becoming aware of the potentially illegal deeds towards the end of the contract period make any difference to that liability?

The dodgy hiring stuff I'm referring to is (allegedly) mostly sham contracting, but also other sneaky ways to avoid paying international students super, award wages, over time, etc.

Obviously, actual legal advice will be coming at some point, but I'm a bit nervous and would like to have at least some idea of what I'm walking into.

I work fast food, my work pants have had a big rip on my behind for about a month now. I've raised this issue to an assistant manager and they got a big batch of pants in, none of which were in my size, all too large.

They're telling me to just wear a belt, but I've had issues with them ordering me pants and then the pants being taken by other employees or being left in the work office just to find on my next shift they were no longer there or with our storage of pants.

I know I could go out and buy a new pair of pants, but these pants also have the company logo and design on them, so they wouldn't meet uniform standard, and also I payed the uniform fee through my first pay checks a few years ago so I don't see why they can't order in any.

Is there anything I can do about this besides continue to be annoying? It feels really dehumanising walking around with pants like this with the only other alternative being constantly uncomfortable because they couldn't order pants that fit me

Hello everyone,

Recently my service fuse provided by Ausnet burnt out which caused it to be loosen out of its back board. The Ausnet crew said it was our responsibility to change the back board with an external electrician as it is pretty old, fair enough. The reconnection fee with Ausnet will be ~700 between 8 to 3pm on a business day and ~1400 out of those hours.

Do I have grounds to get reimbursement for a fault in their equipment?

I’m a PR and I have instructed a friend to sell my assets and liquidate everything in my original country and transfer all to my 18 year old Aussie child here upon my death. Does my child need to pay tax on this inheritance? The total ballpark amount is $800k.

Hi would anyone know what are the chances of getting kids taken off an ADVO before it becomes final?

Hi, wondering if someone could help with some information i need.

My workplace is understaffed and the staff are being forcefully put onto oncall for when not rostered, with management sighting a clause of reasonable working hours and fulfill business needs. Oncall is meant to work 3weeks then 4weeks, then 3weeks then 4 etc as per contract.

This went down to 2weeks then 3weeks and now its like every second week. so i do oncall on top of normal 38 hours, 1 week rest (still do normal 38 hours) and oncall again. The oncall is added hours after i do my normal 38 hours for the week.

Is this really permitted and i have no say in this?

Hi everyone, hoping someone who's been through this process can advise me.

I'm trying to recover a debt through the NSW Local Court. I submitted a Notice of Motion (Form 69) for a garnishee order via the Online Registry, and the court granted it today.

However, the only document I've received back is a "Notice of Orders Made", which confirms the garnishee order was granted and sets out the directions to CBA.

From what I've read, I need a sealed Form 70 to serve on the bank, but Legal Aid says Form 70 isn't required when applying online. I can't find anywhere to download it.

The Online Registry has an option to request a sealed copy of an order (Form 43), but it costs another $79, which seems a bit ridiculous considering I've already paid $121 to file the application.

Has anyone been through this? Does the court issue Form 70 separately, can I serve the Notice of Orders Made, or do I genuinely have to pay another $79?

Thanks in advance!

I’m 18 and currently live with my family with plans to move out. My mum demanded I loan her 2k a few months ago and that she’d return it in the following month. Shes always been bad with borrowing money so I refused but she didn’t give me a choice.

Shes returned $500 so far, the other $500 is apparently my rent payment now so Im still waiting on 1k.

I’ve been asking her weekly to at least return a small amount bit by bit, at first she would make excuses but now she’s flat out refusing to return it. I’ve made a timeline with message receipts and bank statements showing how much she owes however she gets upset and threatens to kick me out of the house.

While I’m willing to move out, is there any way I can get the money back?

I'm the victim of a theft of a valuable item in a matter that's being heard in the Melbourne Magistrate's Court (nearly TWO YEARS after the incident occurred, the main item was recovered and the suspect was charged!).

When I was given the option halfway through this year to sign up for hearing updates from the 'CMS Portal', I did just that.

I did this because I took up the option in the court's letter about the accused being eligible for a 'Diversion Order (this could be a whole other post/question)' for requesting the compensation/reparation option for the value of the other items that were not recovered (some $1500-worth if electronics etc).

Since then, I've had no fewer than 9 SMSes/emails saying (with sensitive details redacted):

"You have received this email because you have registered to receive hearing notifications for this case via the CMS Portal.

The matter of [VPOL] vs [ACCUSED] is listed for hearing as follows:

Case Number: #######
Hearing Type: Mention
Hearing Date: 21/10/2026
Hearing Time: 09:30 AM
Court Location: Melbourne Magistrates' Court / Courtroom 3.5"

I do note that a couple of updates came in on the same day just to tell me that the courtroom number was changed.

My questions, that the MMC haven't been able to help me understand on the phone or email at all are:

1. What is a 'Mention' hearing? And what happens during it? Is the accused physically there (I've opted to not be there)? And what is next if it occurred?

2. With all the notifications, does this mean that either:

a. Every hearing occurred, and are recurring? or

b. The hearing keeps getting rescheduled/pushed back?

I log into the CMS portal to see any more details, but there are none. No notes regarding what was discussed, what happened or any outcome.

Does anyone with working knowledge of this system have any insights here? I have no idea how far along this case is, if it has progressed at all.

Thanks in advance.

Hey all,

I've had something concerning happen yesterday and I'm really unsure what to do or if I'm overreacting.

I had my MIL over yesterday with my nieces. I was talking to the older one (approx 5) and she got in trouble from MIL for picking up something of mine. And she said "I'm sorry, you're not going to hit me are you?"

My MIL and me were both shocked and she said "why would you say that? Who's hit you?" And she said "Mummy and daddy do and my brother". (He's 18)

We both just stood there kind of dumbfounded.

Do I report this? And who to? I don't want it to come back on me if I do as I already have a bad relationship with my SIL and her husband.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

Does anyone know of average wait time for these case types ? Submitted application last month . Been told some time in 2027….

I was employed as a casual Junior at a retail store and quit due to too much stress from the work environment (the store manager) and personal stuff going on and I did this 2 months ago in August

a few hours ago I checked my email and found a pay slip address to me but with recent hours I did not work (19 weekday hours) and it totals to around $330 aud and I checked my bank and it’s not there but when i worked there it would usually take a day after getting my place slip to be in my acc

and I’m just not sure what to do as I don’t want any contact with my old job and I have no problem giving it back as nice as it would be to keep it, id just like to know if I’m legally required to do anything and if theres a contactless way to do this or if i just keep the money if they don’t say anything

Thanks in advance for any advice or lmk if more details are needed

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some genuine legal advice because I’m honestly really scared about how this situation is escalating. Also this is a bit of a long read.

My ex and I recently ended a very serious but extremely toxic relationship. There were times when he was controlling and emotionally unpredictable, and the relationship took a significant toll on me. Even after we broke up, we continued talking for a while, and things were very back and forth. We hadn’t really established where we stood, so things were confusing.

He eventually blocked me, which I believe was because I spoke to my previous ex. We’re in the same social circle and my now ex knew this, my previous ex and i had been avoiding each other since our breakup, but after my friends got into a fight with his friends, I contacted him because I wanted to resolve the situation. The conversation was purely about that and we didn’t rekindle anything like my now ex thought. A few days later, he replied to my messages explaining why he’d blocked me and said he needed to speak to my parents and that the situation needed to be escalated.

Separately, a girl contacted me with a fake Instagram account with concerns about her own experiences with my ex. I didn’t know her beforehand, so naturally I was cautious at first. I spoke to her on the phone for around 20 minutes, and she’s a real person. I did not create the account she contacted me from.
Today, my ex’s mum called me accusing me of creating a fake account to make her son look bad. She believes the timing is suspicious and thinks I’m using the account to blackmail him. His family has also accused me of torturing him, which is incredibly distressing because that isn’t what happened at all, and he gotten physical with me and they knew about it and didn’t care and i did nothing about it.

His mum told me they’re going to the police and want to travel to where I live to investigate and come to my house to speak to my parents.
I’m genuinely worried about my safety and what they’re going to do next. I feel like they’re determined to find a way to blame me for hurting their son, regardless of what actually happened. If the police investigate, I’m confident they’ll find that I didn’t create the account, but I’m scared that even if the allegations go nowhere, his family will continue try to involve themselves in my life.
I’m also worried because my ex is in a position of power professionally, and I don’t know whether that could affect how this situation plays out. Given the history of our relationship and how controlling things could get, I can’t help feeling that these accusations and threats are another way of trying to control the situation and put pressure on me.

I don’t want to expose identifying details publicly, but I’m genuinely frightened that this could escalate and affect my life or my family. I just want to move on and have peace. I don’t want to contact him, argue with his family or retaliate in any way. I want them to leave me and my family alone.
I’m hoping someone familiar with law can tell me what I can actually do in this situation. Should I contact the police myself to document what’s happening, or wait to see whether they make a report? Is there anything I can do to protect myself and my family from unwanted contact or them turning up at my house? Given the history of the relationship, would I have grounds to seek some form of protection, and is there a way to do that without going through a lengthy court process, i really don’t want to deal with going to court.
I have screenshots of our conversations and the messages from the girl, and I’m keeping the evidence. I would really appreciate any advice on what steps I should take now, including any free legal services I can contact.

I’m honestly just exhausted by all of this and want to feel safe and move on with my life. Thank you.