Accessing an Indigenous interpreter 125-17060200

Interpreters help customers who speak a language other than English to conduct their business.

The benefits of using an interpreter include:

• improved customer and staff experience
• greater accuracy in the information recorded
• fewer customer debts or compliance issues
• less re-work or time resolving issues

If the customer needs an:

• immediate telephone interpreter
• Indigenous language interpreter

If the customer is deaf or hard of hearing and needs an:

• immediate interpreter, explore their nominee arrangement, or see Using the National Relay Service (NRS)
• interpreter for booked appointment

For an overview or help on how to offer and work with interpreters, see Language Services and Guidelines for using interpreters.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is diverse:

• Numerous language groups exist across Australia:
• Traditionally there were over 500 different languages
• Not one common language spoken by Indigenous Australians
• Each group has their own distinctive cultural beliefs, language and dialects
• Approximately 150 Indigenous languages spoken in Australia today
• Indigenous Australians speak up to 4 or more different Indigenous languages and/or dialects, with English often the least spoken

Language can be one of the many barriers multilingual Indigenous Australians face when contacting Services Australia. Providing access to an Indigenous interpreter improves communication, engagement, mutual understanding and respect.

The agency is committed to using Indigenous interpreters for customers where English is not their primary language. The use of a customer's friend or relative as the interpreter is actively discouraged. This avoids potential problems with language competency, impartiality, content integrity and confidentiality.

Note: it is never appropriate to use a child as an interpreter.

The agency provides customers with free access to Indigenous interpreters. Indigenous language services are delivered through the following arrangements:

Block face to face Indigenous interpreters

• Available at 4 service centres in Broome, Kununurra, Halls Creek and Alice Springs)
• This interpreting service is to be accessed in the first instance, if appropriate
• If a customer can attend one of these service centres, they will have immediate access to a face to face Indigenous interpreter

Interpreter Connect (On-demand telephone interpreting service)

• Provides immediate access to an Indigenous interpreter
• Interpreters are available in certain Indigenous languages that include:
• Alyawarre (pronounced yad-a-warr)
• Anmatyerr (pronounced an-mat-ear)
• Arrernte (Central/Eastern) (pronounced a-rundaurarra)
• Arrernte (Western) (pronounced a-rundaurarra)
• Djambarrpuyngu (pronounced jom-ba-poyng-oo)
• Gumatj (pronounced goo-maaj)
• Kriol (Top End) (pronounced cre-ole)
• Murrinh-Patha (pronounced murrin-patha)
• Ngaanyatjarra (pronounced yan-kun-jat-jara)
• Ngaatjatjarra (pronounced nat-jat-jara)
• Pintupi-Luritja (pronounced pin-tupee- la-rich-a)
• Pitjantjatjara (pronounced pit-junt-jara)
• Torres Strait Creole/Yumplatok (pronounced yum-pluh-tok)
• Warlpiri (pronounced wall-pree)
• Yankunytjatjara (yan-kun-jat-jara)
• Yolngu Matha (pronounced yol-new ma-tha)

Booked Indigenous interpreting service

• Available for face-to-face telephone or remote customer appointments
• Requests for booked Indigenous interpreters are submitted in the Interpreter Management System (IMS), accessed via the Front of House (FOH) desktop app