Do you need help communicating with non-English speakers?
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) provides the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) for people who do not speak English and for the English speakers who need to communicate with them. TIS National has access to more than 1300 contracted interpreters across Australia, speaking more than 130 languages and dialects.
To date in 2008–09 the highest demand languages for telephone interpreting were Mandarin (Chinese), Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese (Chinese), Korean, Persian, Turkish, Spanish, Dinka (Sudanese language) and Serbian.
Access to free services
TIS National’s free interpreting service enables communication between non-English speaking migrants and humanitarian entrants, who are Australian citizens or permanent residents, and the following approved individuals and organisations:
- non-profit, non-government community based organisations,
for case work and settlement related services where the
organisation does not receive government funding to provide
these services - Members of Parliament for constituency purposes
- Local Government authorities for communication with
non-English speaking residents regarding goods and services
provided by Local Government - trade unions for members’ enquiries
- Emergency Management Australia
- pharmacies for the purpose of dispensing PBS medications.
DIAC also provides access to free extract translations of settlement related personal documents to eligible individuals. More information regarding eligibility is available at www.immi.gov.au
Doctors Priority Line
For the cost of a local call, the Doctors Priority Line supplies medical practitioners in private practice delivering Medicare rebatable services with access to an interpreter 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Pharmacy pilot
Following a successful pilot program offering 331 pharmacies access to free interpreting services for a six month period, the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, recently announced the permanent extension of free interpreting services to pharmacies nationally, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The new interpreters project
Recruitment activity in 2008–09 to date has resulted in 70 interpreters being added to the TIS National interpreter panel. The new interpreters collectively speak 88 different languages and dialects. Interpreters in new and emerging languages are critical to recent arrivals accessing services in Australia.
DIAC has provided funding to the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) to deliver the new interpreters project, which targets potential interpreters who speak new and emerging languages in metropolitan areas and those who speak high demand languages in rural and regional areas.
The project will subsidise NAATI preparatory workshops, application fees, testing/assessment fees and associated English language testing fees. Interested parties should contact their local NAATI office or phone NAATI on 1300 557 470.
More information is available at www.immi.gov.au/tis or by phoning 131 450, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
