The Law Handbook 2024

Copyright © Fitzroy Legal Service Inc. 2024 This book is copyright. All rights reserved. All persons, community groups and organisations wanting to reproduce material from The Law Handbook should obtain permission from the publisher, Fitzroy Legal Service. Enquiries in the first instance can be made by email to lhbeditor@fls.org.au. First published as The Law Handbook in 1987 by Nelson Wadsworth Thomas – Nelson Australia, 480 La Trobe Street, Melbourne Vic. 3000 Second edition 1988 Third edition 1989 First published by Fitzroy Legal Service Inc. 1990 Fitzroy Legal Service Inc. PO Box 297, Fitzroy Vic. 3065 Telephone: (03) 9419 3744 Web: www.fls.org.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data: The Law Handbook 2024: Your practical guide to the law in Victoria / editor: Erin O’Dwyer. 46th edition 978-0-6459877-0-6 (paperback) Includes index. Law–Victoria. Legal services–Victoria. Legal assistance to the poor–Victoria. O’Dwyer, Erin, editor. Fitzroy Legal Service Text design and additional typesetting: Kerry Cooke, eggplant communications Index and lists of cases and legislation: Puddingburn Publishing Services Glossary: Trischa Mann, Inkshed Press Additional editing: Kerryn Burgess, Danielle Teutsch and Olivia Sanders eBook: Sunset Publishing Services Cover design: Sandy Cull, gogoGingko Printed in China ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY Fitzroy Legal Service acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Custodians of Country and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging. DISCLAIMER The material contained in The Law Handbook is of the nature of general comment only and is not intended to be advice on any particular matter. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in the book without obtaining advice relevant to their own particular situations. The authors, editor and publisher expressly disclaim any liability to any person in respect of any action taken or not taken in reliance on the contents of this publication.