Free services
Free interpreting services
The Australian Government, through TIS National, provides free interpreting services to non-English speaking Australian citizens or permanent residents communicating with the following approved groups and individuals:
- private medical practitioners providing Medicare-rebateable services and their reception staff to arrange appointments and provide results of medical tests
- non-profit, non-government, community-based organisations for case work and emergency services where the organisation does not receive funding to provide these services
- Members of Parliament for constituency purposes
- local government authorities to communicate with non-English speaking residents on issues such as rates, garbage collection and urban services
- trade unions to respond to members' enquiries or requests
- Emergency Management Australia.
Organisations can apply for a fee exemption for calls through TIS National. Please download and complete the Application for exemption from TIS charges form. Applications should be faxed to the attention of the on-site supervisor.
See: Application for exemption from TIS charges (67KB PDF file)
Fax:1300 654 151
If you have questions about your eligibility for fee-free interpreting, please contact the Client Liaison and Promotions team.
Telephone: 1300 655 820
Organisations that require language services (such as interpreting) and receive government funding should incorporate the cost of these services into their application for funding.
Doctors Priority Line
The Doctors Priority Line is a free telephone interpreting service which helps medical practitioners to communicate with their non-English speaking patients.
Medical practitioners can use the Doctors Priority Line when providing services that are:
- claimable under Medicare
- in private practices
- provided to non-English speakers who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
The Doctors Priority Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Telephone: 1300 131 450
Doctors who are not currently registered for the Doctor's Priority Line can arrange access to the service via telephone or by sending a completed registration form to the Client Liaison and Promotions team.
Telephone: 1300 655 820
See: Doctor's free interpreting registration form (31KB PDF file)
Return to: Translating and Interpreting Service