SA law guides to help migrants
South Australia's key laws have been translated and published into nine languages - including Swahili and Dari - in the hope this will help break down barriers for migrants.
The state's Legal Services Commission says the translations were developed in consultation with migrant communities, using basic terms to explain workers' rights, dealing with police and rental laws.
LSC director Gabrielle Canny says migrants from refugee camps often distrust authorities and have poor literacy skills even in their own languages.
"Their experience of the law is to hide from the law and hide from the police," she told AAP on Thursday.
"The refugee camps are huge. There's thousands and thousands of people, so it's almost a law to themselves. It's survival of the fittest."
Ms Canny said she hoped the guides would help migrants to develop basic life skills and avoid getting into legal trouble.
"Our laws are quite complicated and they're unforgiving," she said.
"You really do have to get a good grasp on them."
The other seven languages are Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Hindi, Nepali, Persian and Vietnamese.
