Compliments and complaints

We encourage and appreciate feedback as it helps us shape our service delivery and values and improve the way we achieve our goals and interact with each other and our customers.

We are committed to effective customer complaints management.

Our customer complaint process aims to be:

  • fair
  • timely
  • easy to use
  • confidential.

What you can complain about

If you are concerned about wrongdoing within the department we strongly encourage you to report your concern.

We urge anyone with concerns about any of the following matters to raise these with the department or another appropriate authority (see below):

  • suspected fraud
  • suspected corrupt conduct, as defined in the Crime and Corruption Act 2001
  • misuse of public resources
  • suspected breach of a human right (for breaches that occur after 1 January 2020)
  • breaches of the Code of Conduct for the Queensland public service
  • breaches of information privacy
  • danger to the health or safety of a person with a disability
  • danger to the environment caused by commission of an offence or contravention of a condition in certain environmental legislation
  • reprisal after making a public interest disclosure.

How to complain or provide feedback

Complain to the department

The department offers various channels to lodge compliments, feedback or complaints on the department's products, services, policies or actions.

Refer to Our policies page for specific complaint procedures.

Complain to a third party

You can also report suspected wrongdoing to:

Human rights complaints

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

The Human Rights Act requires public entities 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. If you believe your human rights have been breached due to an action of the department, you can raise a complaint through our existing complaints process.

Privacy complaints

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

Complaints process

  1. Your complaint is received and is sent to the appropriate business area for action.
  2. We acknowledge your complaint either in writing or by telephone within two working days.
  3. Your complaint is considered by the appropriate departmental officer, who may contact you during the process to discuss your complaint or request further information.
  4. We respond to your complaint as quickly as we can (see response timeframes below).
  5. If you are not satisfied with the outcome you can request an internal review.
  6. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review you can request an external review.
  7. 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.

Complaint resolution timeframe

We aim to respond to your complaints as quickly as we can. We work towards responding to you in the following timeframes:

  • Urgent matters: five business days
  • Standard matters: 15 business days
  • Human rights and information privacy complaints: 45 business days as required under legislation.

Right of review

If you are not happy with the outcome of your complaint, you can request an internal review. Your request should be in writing if possible and lodged within 28 days of you receiving the decision about your complaint. The internal review will be conducted by an officer at an equivalent level or more senior to the original decision-maker who has had no involvement with your complaint.

If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Queensland Ombudsman. The Queensland Ombudsman will assess your complaint and advise if they can conduct an external review.

Queensland Ombudsman
GPO Box 3314
Brisbane QLD 4001
Phone: (07) 3005 7000
Email: Queensland Ombudsman

Your information

If you make a complaint, your personal information, including your email address, will be collected for the purpose of addressing your complaint as required under the Ministerial Guidelines — Operation of Publication Schemes and Disclosure Logs issued under sections 21(3) and 78, 78A and 78B of the Right to Information Act 2009.

Your personal information will be used for the purpose of investigating and addressing your complaint and may be disclosed to relevant departmental business areas for action and response. Your personal information will not be provided to any person you are complaining about, 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.

You can submit feedback and complaints anonymously if you wish. However, please be aware that if you submit anonymously we cannot contact you to get further information or to tell you the outcome of your submission.

Assistance with your enquiry or complaint

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can call the National Relay Service on:

  • 133 677 (TTY/Voice) or
  • 1300 555 727 (Speak and Listen).

If you need an interpreter, contact us using Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS).

Customer complaints records

2021-22 Customer Complaints

Customer complaints Number of complaints
Total received by the department in the year 38
Total resulting in further action 0
Total resulting in no further action 33

Last updated: 17 Mar 2023