Consumer complaint contacts

The following organisations may be able to help you when you have a dispute or complaint.

For ease of reading, we have divided it into the following categories:

• consumer protection agencies
• business services
• legal services
• specific industry areas.

This list is not exhaustive.

Consumer protection agencies

Role of the ACCC and NIM

Organisation	Role
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)	Australian Government agency for fair trading, competition and consumer protection.
The National Measurement Institute (NMI)	Australian Government agency for trade measurement enquiries and complaints about weights and measures.

Role of ACCC on product safety and recalls

Organisation	Role
Product Safety Australia	Coordinated by the ACCC, this service provides information on product safety in Australia, including banned and restricted products. It also provides up-to-date information about recalled products across Australia.
Recalls Australia	ACCC service giving information on product recalls in Australia.

Avoiding scams and identity theft

Organisation	Role
SCAMwatch	ACCC service giving information on scams and how to avoid being caught out.
Stay Smart Online	Australian Government agency for online safety and security, with information about avoiding scams and identity theft.

Reporting international scams

Organisation	Role
eConsumer	Partnership of more than 35 consumer protection agencies around the world where you can report international scams.

Find interstate agencies in your state

Organisation	Role
ACT Office of Fair Trading	Australian Capital Territory consumer affairs regulator.
Consumer Affairs Victoria	Victoria's consumer affairs regulator.
NSW Fair Trading	New South Wales consumer affairs regulator.
NT Consumer Affairs	Northern Territory consumer affairs regulator.
SA Office of Consumer and Business Services	South Australian consumer affairs regulator.
Consumer, Building and Occupational Services Tasmania	Tasmanian building and consumer affairs regulator.
WA Consumer Protection	Western Australia's consumer affairs regulator.

Role of consumer awareness groups

Organisation	Role
CHOICE	Consumer advocacy group that tests products and provides advice about food, finance and health.

Role of agency and your freedom of information

Organisation	Role
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner	Independent statutory agency that handles matters associated with information privacy and freedom of information.

Legal services

Always get independent legal advice before you sign a contract that involves a large commitment of your time or money.

The various courts and tribunals that operate in Queensland

Organisation	Role
Queensland Courts	The various Courts that operate in Queensland, including the Supreme Court, District Court and Magistrates Court.
Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT)	This tribunal hears: most types of administrative dispute any civil cases where the amount involved is less than $25,000.

Range of legal advice in Queensland

Organisation	Role
Queensland Law Society	Get a referral to a solicitor in Queensland.
Legal Aid Queensland	Organisation that provides legal information, advice and representation for disadvantaged Queenslander.
Community legal centres	Find community legal centres in Queensland.

Role of legal services commission

Organisation	Role
Legal Services Commission	Hears complaints about conduct of solicitors, barristers or law practice employees.

Role of the ombudsman and their services

Organisation	Role
Commonwealth Ombudsman	Australian Government agency that hears complaints against other agencies. They investigate, audit, inspect and oversee federal agencies.
Queensland Ombudsman	Independent agency that investigates complaints against public agencies (state government and local councils).

Specific industries

If talking to the business doesn’t work, you may be able to approach an industry organisation. This could be:

• a peak body that businesses can join as members
• an independent body that works as a mediator
• a government office that works with that industry.

Role of the real estate profession and agencies

Organisation	Role
Body Corporate and Community Management	Handles disputes with body corporate agencies.
Residential Tenancies Authority	Handles complaints about bonds and tenant's rights and responsibilities.
Real Estate Institute of Queensland	Association for the real estate profession.

Role of the building and renovating organisations

Organisation	Role
Queensland Building and Construction Commission	Hears complaints about building or renovating work worth more than $3,300 (including labour and material).

Role of the motor vehicles and petrol organisations

Organisation	Role
Motor Trades Association Queensland	Industry body that handles complaints about car repairs (but only if your mechanic is a member).
Department of Transport and Main Roads	Department that handles complaints about unsafe vehicles, trailers and transport of dangerous goods.
Tolling Customer Ombudsman	Organisation that provides free and independent alternative dispute resolution service for customers and Queensland’s toll road operators.
Fuel price monitoring	ACCC service that monitors the price of fuel products and handles complaints about anti-competitive conduct (such as price fixing).
Fuel quality monitoring	Australian Government service that handles enquiries about fuel quality.

Role of workplace services and organisations

Organisation	Role
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland	Regulator of workplace health and safety, as well as the safety of amusement rides, and industrial and construction equipment.
Fair Work Ombudsman	The national workplace relations regulator, dealing with pay, leave, employment conditions, awards and workplace laws.
Queensland Industrial Relations Commission	Commission that decides trading hours outside the minimum allowable hours. Including public holidays and for special displays and exhibitions, such as home shows and expos.

Roles of telephones, internet services and pay television organisations

Organisation	Role
Do Not Call Register	Australian Government service that lets you register to avoid getting unsolicited phone calls from telemarketers.
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman	Independent mediator for resolving complaints about phone and internet services, including disputes about billing and property access.
Australian Communications and Media Authority	Australian Government body which accepts complaints about television (including pay TV) content.

Organisations the provide financial and insurance services

Organisation	Role
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)	Australian Government body that can hear complaints about services such as banking, investments, credit or insurance.
Australian Financial Complaints Authority	Dispute resolution scheme for financial services. Assists consumers and small businesses to reach agreements with financial firms about how to resolve their complaints. AFCA considers complaints that previously would have been handled by the Financial Ombudsman Service, the Credit and Investments Ombudsman and the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal.
Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA)	Australian Government service that can assist you if you go bankrupt.

Support services for family and small business

Organisation	Role
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman	Statutory body that provides support for small businesses and family enterprises should they become involved in a dispute.
Queensland Small Business Commissioner	Provides dispute assistance for small businesses and mediation in commercial and retail lease disputes.

Role of advertising and marketing regulators

Organisation	Role
Australian Direct Marketing Association	Industry body that handles complaints about direct marketing, such as telemarketing, door-to-door sales and unsolicited mail.
Advertising Standards Bureau	Industry body that hears complaints about discrimination, sexuality, language and violence in advertising and helps the industry regulate itself.

Regulators of the electricity, gas and water services

Organisation	Role
Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland	Independent mediator that can help you resolve complaints with your energy provider.
Electrical Safety Office	Organisation that regulates and monitors safety issues in the electrical industry.

Role of the medical services regulators

Organisation	Role
Queensland Health complaints	Hears complaints about hospitals and other public medical services.
Safe Food Queensland	Organisation that regulates the primary production and processing of meat, eggs, dairy and seafood in Queensland. It also ensures Queensland's food production systems meet national food safety standards.
Office of the Health Ombudsman	Independent statutory body that hears complaints about a health service provider or a health service provided to consumers, their family or someone in their care.

Organisations that hear complaints for travel services

Organisation	Role
Airline Consumer Advocate	Independent service that hears complaints about air travel services from the major domestic airlines.

Range of Training services regulators

Organisation	Role
Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)	Monitors training providers and takes complaints on training and assessment products, outcomes and services provided by training organisations.
Queensland Training Ombudsman	Provides a free, confidential, and independent service to review and resolve enquiries and complaints from apprentices, trainees, student, employers and other parties about the vocational education and training system in Queensland.

Veterinary services information for Queenslanders

Organisation	Role
Veterinary Surgeons Board	An information service to consumers and veterinarians on the conduct of veterinary science in Queensland.