What's the law?—Australian law for new arrivals

What's the law?

This educational resource has 10 simple photo stories in basic English dealing with the most common legal issues experienced by recently arrived migrants and refugees. The resource is designed to be used by adult ESL learners and in other community education settings. It's ideal for recent arrivals who are learning to speak English.

Teachers, educators and community workers can use What's the law? to:

  • give new arrivals basic information about some common legal issues
  • help new arrivals recognise a legal problem, and know how to get free legal help if they need it.

There are student activity sheets to support each story, and teacher answer sheets.

You can view all of these stories online and download a copy of the activity and answer sheets below to use in education sessions.

For more information please contact the community legal education team at cle@legalaid.qld.gov.au.

View stories online

  1. The legal system
  2. Driving
  3. Car accidents
  4. Buying a car
  5. Police
  6. Renting
  7. Centrelink
  8. Child protection
  9. Family law
  10. Family violence

Download activity sheets

  1. The legal system: for students(PDF, 46KB) | for teachers(PDF, 48KB)
  2. Driving: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 48KB)
  3. Car accidents: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 52KB)
  4. Buying a car: for students(PDF, 227KB) | for teachers(PDF, 50KB)
  5. Police: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 49KB)
  6. Renting: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 53KB)
  7. Centrelink: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 49KB)
  8. Child protection: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 49KB)
  9. Family law: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 49KB)
  10. Family violence: for students(PDF, 45KB) | for teachers(PDF, 53KB)

Or download all activity sheets(PDF, 387KB) as a single file.

Speakers notes

These notes provide guidelines for a speaker’s script and information on how to use these resources when presenting to a community group. The notes include a story summary, questions and answers and key messages.

  1. The legal system(PDF, 108KB)
  2. Driving(PDF, 115KB)
  3. Car accidents(PDF, 106KB)
  4. Buying a car(PDF, 109KB)
  5. Police(PDF, 105KB)
  6. Renting(PDF, 200KB)
  7. Centrelink(PDF, 107KB)
  8. Child protection
  9. Family law(PDF, 107KB)
  10. Family violence(PDF, 107KB)

This resource was produced by Legal Aid Commissions throughout Australia who assert moral rights under the Copyright Act. This material may be reproduced, or excerpted, provided it is not changed, and authorship of Legal Aid Commissions is acknowledged.

The material in this publication is intended as a general guide only. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this publication without getting legal advice about their own particular situations. Legal Aid Queensland expressly disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of this publication.

Last updated 8 July 2020

Back to top