Our complaints process

• Describe the complaint and focus on the major issue.
• Set out information in a clear, simple and ordered way.
• Explain what you think we need to fix or change.
• Provide your contact details if you want a response, or so we can gather more information if we need to.

We're here to help anyone who has a complaint about a Queensland Government agency. We want everyone to feel fairly treated.

If you need help to make a complaint, you can talk to us. Our staff will listen to you. We can give you advice about your complaint or problem and what you need to do next. For example, we can help you identify who your complaint is about and how to make a complaint.

If it's easier, you can ask someone else to contact us for you. This could be a relative, friend, solicitor, case worker or anyone else. We will need to know that you agree to their help.

Support for people with disability

If you're deaf, have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS). Phone 1800 555 727 and ask for 13 QGOV (13 74 68) when asked. We also have Easy Read information available.

Interpreter services and information in other languages

If you need an interpreter, call our telephone interpreter service on 1800 512 451.

Step 1

If you submit your complaint over the phone, via online chat or at a service centre and provide your email address, the relevant agency will send you an acknowledgement email once they receive your complaint.

Step 2

The relevant agency will investigate, action and respond to your complaint. They may contact you for more details and to clarify issues (if you've provided your contact details).

Step 3

The agency will reach a decision and contact you with an outcome if you provided your contact details.

How long will it take?

The agency will aim to respond to your complaint as quickly as possible, but response times will vary depending on the complexity of what your complaint is about. It may take up to 30 business days.

If you don't hear from the agency in the expected timeframe, you can follow up by using the online chat, phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or in person at a service centre and providing your reference number.

If your matter is an urgent safety issue, please phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or 000 in emergencies.

All Queensland Government agencies have their own policies and procedures for dealing with complaints from staff and the community about their services or actions. These policies can be viewed on the agencies' websites.

Stage 1: Internal review

If you're unhappy with the outcome of your complaint, you can ask the agency to do an internal review. Information about this is included in the response to your original complaint.

An internal review is a fair and unbiased review of a complaint decision, conducted by a staff member who wasn't involved in making the original decision.

All Queensland Government agencies have their own policies and procedures for requesting an internal review. You can view these policies on the individual agencies' websites.

Stage 2: External review

If you're unhappy with the outcome of the internal review, you can request an external review by contacting the relevant complaint authority. You can find the contact information of the relevant complaint authority in your internal review outcome letter.

In most cases external complaint authorities may decide not to investigate your complaint until you've received a final response from the agency through its complaints management process, including the outcome of the internal review.

We believe everyone who contacts us has the right to be heard, understood and treated with respect. We aim to be open and accessible to everyone.

However, sometimes an individual's behaviour or actions can make it hard for us to manage their complaint or request. In rare cases their behaviour becomes unacceptable, such as:

• making frequent, long, repeated or abusive telephone calls that take up a lot of staff time and resources
• sending frequent letters, emails or faxes, or making repeated visits about issues beyond the scope of the original complaint or before the decision is due
• using abusive or threatening language or behaviour
• continuing to contact the agency after they've received feedback, and all review options have been completed.

When this happens, we must take action to protect our staff and ensure we can continue helping others effectively.

The Queensland public service customer complaint management framework is about commitment to the effective management of complaints.

There are 5 guiding principles in the framework:

1. Customer focused — People should be able to make a complaint via clear and accessible agency complaint management systems, with complaints respected and responses addressing all issues raised.
2. Timely and fair — Complaint handling processes are clear, impartial and confidential, with timely acknowledgements and responses.
3. Clear communication — There are clear and communicated expectations and standards for all parties involved in a complaint.
4. Accountable — Agency roles and responsibilities for complaint management are clearly and publicly available.
5. Improving services — Complaints improve existing services and inform new, quality services, with complaint management systems helping agencies prevent potential ongoing disputes.
6. Read the complaints management framework.