The following case at the Federal Court shows what the risks are for unrepresented applicants.
https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2019/2019fca1926
Jibal v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2019] FCA 1926
In this case the Applicant wanted to assert that he was a victim of family violence but he was unrepresented and did not have the wherewithall to get advice on the correct pathway to evidence Family Violence.
It was clearly a claim, but in an evidentiary sense it was non compliant...the AAT dismissed his case ( affirmed the decision to refuse) and the FCC dismissed the case.... this decision affirmed the decision of the FCC to dismiss his application...
If only he had got advice on day 1.........