Complaints and compliments

We welcome your complaints, compliments or any feedback that will help us improve our services.  We are committed to effectively handling customer complaints in a timely and professional manner.

Compliments

If you would like to compliment us on something we've done well, you can:

• send us your compliment by using the Queensland Government complaints and compliments online form.
• call 13QGOV (13 74 68) within Australia
• contact the relevant area of the department directly.

For compliments about Housing and Homelessness Services, contact your nearest Housing Service Centre.

Customer complaints

If you are dissatisfied about the services or actions of the department or our staff, and you are directly affected by what has occurred, you can make a complaint by:

• calling 13QGOV (13 74 68)
• submitting a complaints and compliments online form
• contacting the relevant area of the department directly.

For complaints about Housing and Homelessness Services or a housing tenant, contact your nearest Housing Service Centre.

Find out more in our Customer complaint management policy (PDF, 511.5 KB).

Making a customer complaint

If you have a complaint or a concern, there are some steps you can take to help us help you.

1. Go local first: Many concerns can be resolved quickly and easily by speaking with local staff.
2. Act quickly: Please tell us about the problem as soon as possible. The earlier you tell us, the sooner we can act.
3. Make your complaint clear: To help us assess and manage your complaint, please give us as much information as possible, including how we can contact you, details of the issue you are unhappy about, the outcome you are seeking and any supporting information or important dates.

We can help by:

• providing an interpreter if you have language difficulties or are visually or hearing impaired
• supporting you to use a support person/advocate
• letting you know where you can get further help and information.

If we cannot help you with your complaint we will give you advice about where to get help.

Anonymous complaints

We will accept anonymous complaints; however, we may find it difficult to thoroughly assess or respond to the complaint if there is not enough detail.

In this situation, we may not be able to fully assess the complaint. For this reason, we encourage you to provide your contact details.

How we action complaints

If you make a complaint, we will:

• treat it seriously and action it promptly
• consider human rights as part of the handling of your complaint
• provide reasonable assistance to you
• handle your complaint in a way that is culturally appropriate and responsive to any special needs you may have
• not victimise you
• attempt to resolve your complaint within the local area, in most instances
• deal with your complaint according to the seriousness, frequency and consequences of the complaint
• keep your details confidential as far as possible
• give you timely feedback about your complaint.

We will not accept complaints about matters that:

• the department, another department or agency, a court or a tribunal has already dealt with or is currently dealing with
• are impractical to investigate
• appear to concern frivolous matters or appear to have been made vexatiously.

Complainant rights and responsibilities

When you make a complaint to the department, you have a right to:

• be treated with respect and courtesy
• have your privacy, confidentiality and human rights protected and respected
• have access to information held about you (where this is lawful)
• access the assistance you need to make a complaint, such as interpreting services
• have another person of your choice to support you and speak on your behalf (you will need to sign a form giving your permission)
• be kept informed and consulted during the complaint handling process
• be given clear explanations about what can and cannot be done to resolve the complaint
• be informed about what review rights may be open to you if you disagree with the outcome decision.

You have a right to make a complaint to the department. However, you also have responsibilities as a complainant to:

• be respectful and understand that unreasonable conduct will not be tolerated by departmental staff
• clearly outline what the problem is, what you are unhappy about and your desired outcome
• provide all relevant information and update us if anything changes
• respond to our requests for information within the dates we provide
• understand that, if the complaint is complex, it can take time to assess, manage and finalise
• understand that, in certain circumstances, the department may decline to deal with the complaint (e.g. the complaint lacks merit or the situation being complained about happened more than 12 months ago)
• meet the terms of any management strategies imposed by the department because of unreasonable conduct.

The department may not proceed with your complaint if your conduct is unreasonable.

Privacy and your personal information

In the course of investigating and taking action in response to complaints, personal information will be collected and handled in accordance with the 11 Information Privacy Principles in the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).

Documentation relating to complaints is stored on a file which is retained in locked storage. Information relating to complaints is accessible only by those staff members whose duties require them to deal with the information.

If you are unhappy with the outcome

If you are unhappy with how your complaint has been dealt with or the outcome of your complaint, you can request an internal review. You have 20 business days to request an internal review after you receive the outcome of your complaint.

If you are still unhappy after the internal review, you can ask for an external review from an authority such as the Queensland Ombudsman or the Queensland Human Rights Commission.

Customer complaint management policy

• Complaints management policy (PDF, 511.5 KB)