Service of court documents on the Commonwealth
Section 63 of the Judiciary Act 1903 provides that where the Commonwealth is a party to a suit, a process in that suit is to be served on the Attorney-General, or upon some person appointed by them to receive service. Court documents can be served electronically or in-person.
Electronic service of documents
The AGS has established the e-service email address processservice@ags.gov.au. You can use this to serve originating processes on the Commonwealth.
Find out more about electronic service of documents.
Service of documents in-person
Court documents can be served on the Commonwealth in-person at the locations listed below or in the document Locations to effect service on the Commonwealth.
Canberra
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 5 4 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 | 02 6253 7000 | N/A |
| King & Wood Mallesons | Level 12 Constitution Place 1 Constitution Ave, CANBERRA ACT 2601 | 02 6217 6000 | 02 6217 6999 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | Level 6 Constitution Place 1 Constitution Avenue Canberra ACT 2601 | 02 6110 3000 | 02 9947 6999 |
| Ashurst | Level 9 Civic Quarter 68 Northbourne Avenue CANBERRA ACT 2601 | 02 6234 4000 | 02 6234 4111 |
| Clayton Utz | Level 10 NewActon Nishi 2 Phillip Law St CANBERRA ACT 2601 | 02 6279 4000 | 02 6279 4099 |
| MinterEllison | Level 11 Constitution Place 1 Constitution Ave, CANBERRA ACT 2601 | 02 6225 3000 | 02 6225 1000 |
Sydney
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 10 60 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000 | 02 9581 7777 | N/A |
| DLA Piper | Level 22 No. 1 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 02 9286 8000 | 02 9286 8007 |
| King & Wood Mallesons | Level 61 Governor Phillip Tower 1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 02 9296 2000 | 02 9296 3999 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | Level 5 60 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 02 9330 8000 | 02 9330 8111 |
| Ashurst | Level 11 5 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 02 9258 6000 | 02 9258 6999 |
| Clayton Utz | Level 15 1 Bligh St SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 02 9353 4000 | 02 8220 6700 |
| MinterEllison | Level 40 Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 02 9921 8888 | 02 9921 8123 |
Melbourne
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 34 600 Bourke St MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 9242 1222 | N/A |
| DLA Piper | 80 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 9274 5000 | 03 9274 5111 |
| King & Wood Mallesons | Level 27 Collins Arch 447 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 9643 4000 | 03 9643 5999 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | Level 38 Olderfleet 477 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 8686 6000 | 03 8686 6505 |
| Ashurst | Level 16 80 Collins St South Tower MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 9679 3000 | 03 9679 3111 |
| Clayton Utz | Level 18 333 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 9286 6000 | 03 9629 8488 |
| MinterEllison | Level 20 Collins Arch 447 Collins St MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 03 8608 2000 | 03 8608 1000 |
Brisbane
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 33 300 George Street BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3360 5600 | N/A |
| DLA Piper | Level 9 480 Queen St BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3246 4000 | 07 3246 4077 |
| King & Wood Mallesons | Level 33 Waterfront Place 1 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3244 8000 | 07 3244 8999 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | Level 21 ONE ONE ONE 111 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3414 2888 | 07 3414 2999 |
| Ashurst | Level 38 Riverside Centre 123 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3259 7000 | 07 3259 7111 |
| Clayton Utz | Level 28 Riparian Plaza 71 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3292 7000 | 07 3221 9669 |
| MinterEllison | Level 22 Waterfront Place 1 Eagle St BRISBANE QLD 4000 | 07 3119 6000 | 07 3119 1000 |
Perth
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 21 Exchange Tower 2 The Esplanade PERTH WA 6000 | 08 9268 1199 | 8 9268 1198 |
| DLA Piper | Level 21 240 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 | 08 6467 6000 | 08 6467 6001 |
| King & Wood Mallesons | Level 30 QV.1 Building 250 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 | 08 9269 7000 | 08 9269 7999 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | Level 30 108 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 | 08 6212 3222 | 08 6212 3444 |
| Ashurst | Level 10 Brookfield Place Tower II 123 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 | 08 9366 8000 | 08 9366 8111 |
| Clayton Utz | Level 27 QV.1 Building 250 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 | 08 9426 8000 | 08 9481 3095 |
| MinterEllison | Level 4 Allendale Square 77 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6000 | 08 6189 7800 | 08 6189 7999 |
Adelaide
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 5 101 Pirie St ADELAIDE SA 5000 | 08 8205 4211 | N/A |
| MinterEllison | Level 10 Grenfell Centre 25 Grenfell St ADELAIDE SA 5000 | 08 8233 5555 | 08 8233 5556 |
Darwin
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 10 TIO Centre 24 Mitchell St DARWIN NT 0800 | 08 8943 1444 | N/A |
| Clayton Utz | 17-19 Lindsay St DARWIN NT 0800 | 08 8943 2555 | 08 8943 2500 |
| MinterEllison | Level 1 60 Smith Street Darwin NT 0800 | 08 8901 5900 | 08 8901 5902 |
Hobart
| Address | Phone Number | Fax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Government Solicitor | Level 8 188 Collins St HOBART TAS 7000 | 03 6210 2100 | 03 6210 2110 |
Law firms providing legal services to the Commonwealth or its agencies may apply to the Office of Legal Services Coordination to be appointed to receive service on behalf of the Commonwealth under the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth).
Refer to Guidance note 9 to the Legal Services Directions 2017 for an indication of the issues an application for appointment should address.
Serving the Attorney-General with an originating process
The Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) is directed by the Attorney-General to accept service on their behalf of any originating process that names the Attorney-General as a party to a suit, or that names them personally as a party to a suit in relation to the performance of functions in their role as the Attorney-General. You can deliver an originating process personally to an AGS office location or by email to processservice@ags.gov.au. On receipt, the AGS will provide the originating process to the Attorney-General’s Department for its consideration.
However, the AGS’ receipt of an originating process does not mean that service has been effected on the Attorney-General. Service will only be effected on the Attorney-General if the AGS is instructed to accept service of that particular originating process.
The AGS or the Attorney-General’s Department will notify the party seeking to effect service on whether service of the originating process has been accepted and from what date.