Before you approach our Office, you should contact the agency concerned and genuinely try to resolve the complaint.
Every public agency should have its own complaint handling procedure and be able to provide you with specific guidance. In fact, most organisations welcome complaints being brought to their attention because it allows them to identify areas where they need to improve their services.
This page provides some general advice for people thinking of making a complaint to a Queensland public agency.
Telephone or writing?
Who should I address my complaint to?
What should I include in the letter?
Anything else?
What if this doesn't work?
Telephone complaints may seem easier, but it can sometimes be difficult to get through to the appropriate person and make it hard for you to prove that you complained in the first place if nothing happens as a result of your conversation.
We recommend that you write to the public agency concerned because then you will have a record of events to draw upon at a later date if required.
However, you may first need to telephone the organisation to clarify the issues, identify a suitably authorised person responsible for dealing with your complaint, and find out whether there are any special procedures for lodging your complaint.
Make sure you take down the name and position of the person you are speaking to and ask them if they are authorised to deal with complaints. You should also note the time and date of the call.
Of course, your problem may be so urgent that you have no choice but to complain over the telephone.
If this is the case, make sure you keep notes of what is said, including any statements about what will be done to address your complaint, the name and position of the person, and time and date of the call.
Follow-up any conversation you may have with the agency representative in writing to confirm your understanding of the conversation and ask for acknowledgement of your letter.
Who should I address my complaint to?
Address your complaint to the supervisor of the person or area you have a problem with, or the head of the agency where applicable. For example, the Chief Executive Officer of the local council or Director-General of the Department.
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What should I include in the letter?
You should try to summarise your complaint, including:
- when and what happened
- who was involved
- why the situation is unfair or wrong
- details of any conversations or meetings that have taken place
- copies of any relevant correspondence or documents.
Make it clear that you want your concerns addressed and even tell the agency what action you think should be taken to resolve the complaint. Ensure that your requests are not unreasonable. It is also useful to ask for an acknowledgement of your letter and an indication of how and when your complaint will be dealt with.
You should bear in mind that the Queensland Ombudsman will generally only investigate a complaint if it is lodged within 12 months of coming to your attention. You should advise the agency if there is some urgency involved.
It is important to keep copies of all letters and materials you send and receive and to keep a record of telephone calls including dates, times and what was said. This information may help you further down the track if the agency fails to adequately address your complaint.
You may need to check on the progress of your complaint and even write to a more senior person within the organisation if you do not receive a response within a reasonable period of time.
What if this doesn't work?
If the above steps don't achieve a satisfactory outcome within a reasonable time, you may decide to take your complaint further.
If your complaint concerns the decisions or actions of a public agency – a Queensland government department, public authority, local council or university – then the Queensland Ombudsman may be able to help.
Other complaint handling agencies
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