Community engagement

How can we help community organisations and advocacy groups deal with complaints?

People reach out to community organisations and advocacy groups for help when they have a problem. When advising a client about a complaint concerning state government departments and agencies (including state schools and TAFE), local councils and publicly funded universities the following actions may help.

Advise your clients to make a complaint to the organisation involved:

Give the organisation a chance to resolve the issue. Government organisations are required to have a complaints management system (CMS) in place and be accountable for their decisions and actions. The CMS should be easily accessible on their website.

Learn more about complaining to the organisation involved.

Once your client has exhausted the organisation’s complaint management process, and is still dissatisfied with the action or decision:

Find out what is in the Queensland Ombudsman's jurisdiction (those matters it can deal with) before making a complaint.

You can print the Who do I complain to? (PDF 145.5KB) poster to display in your community centre.

Child safety resources - helping children and young people to make a complaint

Resources are available from the National Office for Child Safety to help children and young people speak up and make a complaint. There is also information for adults in community groups and organisations to help children and young people through the complaint process.

Queensland's complaints landscape (QCL) presentations

This presentation was developed to build greater knowledge in the community about complaints management systems and the services of the Queensland Ombudsman. It covers what you should expect in a complaints process, how to approach making a complaint, how to progress a complaint and when and how to contact us.

• PDF of Queensland complaints landscape presentation (PDF 1.5MB)
• Narrated video on YouTube channel of Queensland's complaints landscape

For more information, please contact us on (07) 3035 4120 or training@ombudsman.qld.gov.au.

Video resource for councillor induction: Complaints, human rights and PIDs - what every councillor needs to know

This detailed overview for councillor inductions in Queensland looks at:

• the role of the Queensland Ombudsman
• the local government complaints framework
• human rights in decision-making
• public interest disclosures

The video also identifies further useful resources for councillors and council officers.

Printed material

If you wish to request printed brochures or posters about the Queensland Ombudsman’s role and services for display at your office, please contact us on (07) 3035 4120 or training@ombudsman.qld.gov.au. You can also download and print our brochures and posters via the links below:

Brochures 

• ‘How can the Queensland Ombudsman help me? (PDF 1.4MB)’
• ‘Got a problem with a state government agency, local council or public university? It’s OK to complain (PDF 1.3MB)’

A3 posters

• ‘I appreciate your efforts to resolve my problem, I am very happy with the result (PDF 1.8MB)’ 
• ‘It’s nice to know you’re not alone, that somebody is there to listen. (PDF 419.4KB)’ 

A4 posters

• Thank you for the time and effort you put into helping me with my problem and explaining the process (PDF 123.3KB)’
• Improving public administration with advice, training and education (PDF 108.4KB)’ 
• Who do I complain to? (PDF 145.5KB)
• The Ombudsman process  (PDF 58.4KB)
  

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