Information in your language

Interpreting services

We provide a free interpreting service to those who prefer to communicate in languages other than English. This service can help you understand Council matters, letters, reports, or other correspondence. 

Interpreting service - Speak with us in your language

You can call our Multilingual Telephone Line in your preferred language. It's a three-way telephone conversation where our Customer Service Officers will help you through the interpreter. 

You can use this service over the phone or in-person at any of our Customer Service Centres. 

If you speak a different language, you can call 9280  1919  and mention your language.) 

Other ways to request an interpreter

You can also request an interpreter at our Customer Service centres (in Brunswick, Coburg and Glenroy) and any of our libraries.  

Our staff will arrange an interpreter for you in one of the following ways:  

  • They will arrange for an interpreter to be physically present to help you speak to someone at Council; or 
  • They will call an interpreter to help you with your enquiry over the phone.  

This service is free. 

Council’s Language Aides

We have staff who can speak Auslan, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, Nepali, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Hindi.

These staff members, known as Language Aides, are not professional interpreters, but can assist our community with simple enquiries about Council matters.  

You can also access this service when you visit any of our Customer Service Centres in person. 

Use this website in your language

In Merri-bek, we speak over 95 languages. We understand that Council information can sometimes be difficult to understand and that language barriers can make it difficult to access Council information. 

To help with this, our website has a translation tool. Please use the button at the top of our site to choose your preferred language. You can then browse our website in your language. 

These translations have been created automatically, so they might not always be accurate. If you have any issues while using the website in your language, please call our Multilingual Telephone Line in your preferred language for help. 

Learn about projects in Merri-bek in your language

We have many ongoing projects and would like to hear your ideas and feedback, as they help us to make decisions that benefit the Merri-bek community. 

To learn more about our projects in your language, visit our Conversations Merri-bek page.

Requesting a translation

We can organise for Council information to be translated into different languages or formats.  

Please email your request to: communications@merri-bek.vic.gov.au  

Include the information you need translated and which language you need it translated into. You can email your request in your preferred language.  

National Relay Service 

The National Relay Service (NRS) is a 24-hour telephone service that can help you communicate with others if you are deaf, or if you have a hearing or speech impairment.   

The service works across Australia and is run by the government.  

The NRS provides a range of different types of call services, depending on your needs and preferences.  

Relay Officers are specially trained staff who help with every call. Relay Officers will:  

  • Change voice to text or text to voice  
  • Change Auslan to English or English to Auslan  
  • Stay on the line throughout the call to help you, without getting in the way or changing what is said.  

There are many different types of NRS calls, to suit different needs. To find out more and to register to use the service, visit the National Relay Service website.