New to an area · 5 min read

Who to contact, and when: a newcomer’s guide to local safety

One of the most unsettling parts of being new to a country is not knowing who to contact when something goes wrong. In a stressful moment, you do not want to be searching for the right number or wondering whether your situation is "serious enough" to call. This guide lays out, in plain English, who handles what in Australia — the emergency line, the non-emergency options, and when to simply let your neighbours know. Read it once now, while things are calm, and it will be there when you need it.

The emergency number: 000

Triple Zero (000) is Australia’s emergency number. You call it when there is an immediate threat to life or property — a crime happening now, a fire, or a medical emergency. It is free from any phone, including a mobile with no credit. The operator will ask whether you need police, fire, or ambulance.

If you are more comfortable in another language, you can say the name of your language and ask for an interpreter — this service exists precisely so that language is never a barrier in an emergency. It is worth knowing this in advance, so you can say it clearly when it matters.

When it is not an emergency

Many situations are not emergencies but still need to be reported. For example, you come home to find a break-in that has clearly already happened, and no one is in danger. In that case you do not call 000. Instead:

• Contact the police non-emergency line for your state (in several states this is the Police Assistance Line on 131 444). They will take a report and give you a reference number — write it down for insurance.
• For information about a crime, or to report anonymously, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
• For urgent-but-not-life-threatening health advice, many areas have a health advice line; your local health service can point you to it.

Knowing these options means you will never freeze, unsure whether your situation "counts." If in doubt about an emergency, call 000 — but for something already over and not dangerous, the non-emergency routes are the right choice.

When to simply tell your neighbours

Some things are worth sharing with the people around you even when they are not for the police — a suspicious pattern of car break-ins on your street, for example, so others can lock up. This is the community layer. It does not replace police reporting, but it helps the whole street stay aware and look out for one another. A calm, factual heads-up — what happened, where, when — is all that is needed.

A calm example

Imagine a parent at home who hears glass breaking and sees someone trying to force a door at a house across the road. This is happening now, so there is no hesitation: they call 000, ask for police, and — because they are more comfortable in Mandarin — ask for an interpreter so they can describe it clearly.

A week later, the same parent notices their own letterbox has been damaged overnight. Nothing urgent, no one around. This time they use the non-emergency line, get a reference number, and post a short heads-up so neighbours can check their own letterboxes. Same person, two very different situations — and because they knew the difference in advance, both were handled calmly and correctly. That is the confidence this knowledge gives you.

It is okay to ask, and okay to be unsure

A worry that stops many newcomers from contacting anyone is the fear of "getting it wrong" — calling the wrong number, bothering someone, or not explaining things well enough in English. It is worth putting that fear to rest. The people who answer these lines deal with uncertain callers every day, and it is their job to help you work out what you need, not to judge how you ask. If you call 000 and it turns out not to be an emergency, they will simply guide you to the right place. You will not be in trouble for asking.

You are also entitled to support with language. Emergency services can connect you to an interpreter, and many government and community services have free translating and interpreting help available. You do not have to face a stressful situation in your second language alone. A few things are worth knowing in advance so you can say them clearly:

• You can state your language and ask for an interpreter when you call 000.
• A free national translating and interpreting service exists to help with many government and community services.
• Local councils and migrant support organisations can often help you understand what happened and what to do next.
• A trusted neighbour or friend can sit with you during a call if that helps you feel steadier.

Knowing that help with language is built into the system removes a huge weight. You are not expected to handle everything in perfect English by yourself, and reaching out is always the right instinct. The services are there for every resident, and using them is exactly what they are for — not an imposition, and never something you need to earn. The more comfortable you become with asking, the less any stressful moment will feel like something you have to face alone.

Keep the list somewhere easy

The single best thing you can do is prepare before you ever need it. Save the key numbers in your phone, and make sure everyone in the household — including older parents and teenagers — knows the emergency number and knows they can ask for an interpreter. A tool that works in your own language helps here too, because it keeps the right information and the right next step in front of you when you are stressed and would otherwise struggle to translate. You may also find it useful to read how local reporting and alerts work in Australia.