Contact us at

• Sydney Office

  Level 8
  175 Castlereagh St
  Sydney NSW 2000

  P.O. Box A2618
  Sydney South NSW 1235

  Tel: (02) 8255 6767
  FAX: (02) 8255 6868
  TTY: (02) 8255 6758
  

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• Interpreting & Translation
  

  Tel: 1300 651 500
  Fax: (02) 8255 6711
  TTY: (02) 8255 6758

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• Newcastle Office
  

  Ground Floor
  Government Office Block
  117 Bull Street
  Newcastle NSW 2300

  Tel: (02) 4929 4191
  Fax: (02) 4929 7369

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• Wollongong Office
  

  Ground Floor, Block D
  State Office Block
  84 Crown Street
  Wollongong NSW 2500

  PO Box 363
  Wollongong NSW 2520

  Tel: (02) 4224 9922
  FAX: (02) 4224 9933

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Policy

Using Interpreters – Summary of NSW Government Policy

It is NSW government policy that individuals using NSW public sector services are not required to book or pay for interpreting services. The responsibility for payment lies with the particular government agency or service provider with which the individual is dealing.

Since July 1989, it has been NSW Government policy that NSW Government agencies fund the provision of interpreters and translated materials when dealing with people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

At the 1991 Conference of Ministers for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs it was resolved that government agencies funding community programs would make resource allocations within those programs to cover interpreting and translating costs.

In July 1998 Ministers were reminded that all NSW Government agencies must ensure that contracts with private providers and funding agreements with non-government organisations, identify a budget for interpreting and translating appropriate to the needs of the users of the service (Premier’s Memorandum 98/22).

Since January 1999, Government agencies are to ensure that they provide quality interpreter and translation services. It is NSW Government policy that all agencies should ensure that any supplier of language services to the government employs staff or sub-contractors on terms and conditions based on a New South Wales industrial instrument specifically established to cover professional interpreting and translating services (Premier’s Memorandum 99-1).