Compliments and complaints

We aim to deliver quality services that respond to the needs of Queenslanders. To help achieve this, we welcome your feedback, both positive and negative. Your feedback can help us improve our services.

Compliments

If you would like to pass on a compliment about our performance or services, you can:

If your compliment is about another Queensland Government department, please complete the Queensland Government compliments and complaints form.

Complaints

We are committed to effective client complaints management. Our client complaint process aims to be fair, timely, easy to use and confidential.

What you can complain about

Our complaints are managed depending on the type of complaint you would like to make.

Most general complaints about our products, services (including how our officers provided that service), procedures, practices, policies or a breach of privacy can be submitted using our client complaint process either:

However, some matters have different management processes. Find out about complaints that are out of scope and their related processes.

If your complaint is about another Queensland Government department, please complete the Queensland Government compliments and complaints form.

Human rights complaints

Complaints under the Human Rights Act 2019 (Human Rights Act) can only be made about alleged breaches which occurred after 1 January 2020.

The Human Rights Act requires public entities (including our department) to be compatible with human rights, as well as give proper consideration to human rights when making decisions. There are 23 human rights set out in the Human Rights Act. Find out more about these rights and the Human Rights Act.

If you believe our actions have breached your human rights, you can raise a client complaint through our existing client complaints process. We will assess all client complaints we receive for breaches of human rights, whether you have identified a human rights concern or not.

Privacy complaints

The Information Privacy Act 2009 requires agencies (including our department) to comply with the 11 Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) to protect your personal information that is collected, stored and handled by the Queensland Government. If you consider there has been a breach of your privacy, you can raise a client complaint through our standard complaints process.

Our complaints process

What happens when you submit your complaint

  1. Your complaint is received by us and sent to the appropriate business area, where an officer will be assigned to process your complaint.
  2. We acknowledge receipt of your complaint either in writing or by telephone within 5 working days.
  3. Depending on the type of complaint (simple or complex), it takes approximately 30 to 70 days to investigate. We may contact you during the process to discuss your complaint or request further information. Once completed, we notify you of the outcome.
  4. If you are not satisfied with the outcome you, can request an internal review.
  5. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review you can request an external review.
  6. We monitor and review complaints and their outcomes to improve our service. We also give our clients the opportunity to provide feedback on the process; please speak to your complaints manager to ask how you can do this.

Read more about how your complaint is handled.

Your privacy during the complaints process

We collect your personal information to process your complaint, in accordance with our Client complaint management policy. Your personal information will be forwarded to the business unit or region relevant to your complaint so your complaint can be addressed.

If you are making a complaint about one of our staff members, your personal information will not be provided to them unless it is specifically required to ensure your complaint is appropriately dealt with. Any use of your personal information will be limited to that necessary to investigate and respond to the issues raised in your complaint. Read our Privacy plan (DOCX) for more information.

Complaints processing timeframes

At any stage, it may be appropriate for a complaint’s complexity to be escalated or downgraded in response to investigation findings or after the receipt of further information from the complainant.

The exact period of time will be confirmed once your complaint is lodged and you will receive regular progress reports until the investigation is complete.

General timeframes are as follows:

  • simple complaints that are resolved at the point of service should be resolved immediately
  • standard complaints that usually only have 1 issue/concern should be resolved within 30 working days of receipt
  • complex complaints that have multiple issues and/or are serious in nature and require an extensive investigation should be resolved within 70 working days of receipt
  • privacy complaints by an individual about an act or decision our department is responsible for relating to their personal information should be resolved within 45 working days of receipt
  • human rights complaints by an individual about an alleged contravention of section 58(1) of the Human Rights Act 2019 by a public entity in relation to an act or decision by our department should be resolved within 45 working days of receipt.

How we define and manage instances of unreasonable or vexatious conduct

We are focused on reaching an outcome for you as quickly as possible. To help us, we ask you to be respectful and provide all the information we need to make a decision.

Our Managing unreasonable or vexatious conduct by complainants policy outlines what is unreasonable or vexatious conduct and how we manage it.

If you’re not satisfied with the outcome

If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you may request a review of the complaint by the manager of the relevant business area.

Queensland Ombudsman

If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Queensland Ombudsman:

They will assess your complaint and advise if they can conduct an external review (some matters are out of scope for review under this complaint management system—see the list of out-of-scope matters).

Office of the Public Guardian

If you are aged under 18 and are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can contact the Office of the Public Guardian:

Queensland Human Rights Commission

If you’re not satisfied with the outcome of a human rights complaint, you can contact the Queensland Human Rights Commission:

Accessibility and interpreter assistance

Interpreter

Reasonable assistance is provided to anyone wishing to make a complaint.

Language assistance is available through the Translating and Interpreter Service (phone 131 450).

National Relay Service

If you are deaf or hearing impaired, contact us using the National Relay Service:

  • TTY users phone 133 677
  • Speak and listen (speech-to-speech relay) 1300 555 727
  • Internet relay users connect to the National Relay Service.
Last updated:
23 January 2023