ombudsman.gov.au Making a Complaint Australia : Commonwealth Ombudsman

Organization : Commonwealth Ombudsman
Service Name : Making a Complaint
Country: Australia

Website : https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/

Making a Complaint:

The Commonwealth Ombudsman deals with:
Complaints about Commonwealth Government departments and agencies, and is also the Ombudsman for:
** Private Health Insurance
** the Defence Force

Related : Public Transport Ombudsman Complaint Online Victoria : www.statusin.org/11943.html

** Immigration
** Law Enforcement
** the Postal Industry
** the Australian Capital Territory (see ombudsman.act.gov.au)

For information about our role please visit the About us page

Note:
From 1 May 2015, most complaints about the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) must be directed to the Inspector-General of Taxation (IGT). Click here for further information.

Make a complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman:
By Phone:
Call 1300 362 072 between 9am – 5pm (AEDT) Monday to Friday – (Not a toll-free number. Calls from mobile phones are charged at mobile phone rates.)

Indigenous Line number 1800 060 789

Online:
Complete an Online Complaint Form

In writing:
To GPO Box 442 Canberra ACT 2601, or by fax to (02) 6276 0123

In Person:
Visit one of our offices

Privacy:
View our Privacy Statement

Services available to assist you to make a complaint:
If you are a non-English speaking person, we can help through the Translating and Interpreter Service (TIS) on 131 450. If you are hearing, sight or speech impaired, a TTY Service is available through the National Relay Service on 133 677.

Complaints the Ombudsman can investigate:
The Commonwealth Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the administrative actions of Australian Government departments and agencies. The Ombudsman has special responsibilities for complaints relating to the Australian Defence Force, Australian Federal Police, Freedom of Information, Immigration and Postal Industry detailed below.

Australian Government agencies and services:
The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the actions and decisions of Australian Government agencies to see if they are wrong, unjust, unlawful, discriminatory or just plain unfair. He can also investigate complaints about goods and services delivered by contractors for and on behalf of the Australian Government.

Australian Federal Police:
You can make a complaint about the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to the Commonwealth Ombudsman or directly to the AFP. The Commonwealth Ombudsman and the AFP’s Professional Standards have joint responsibility for handling complaints about the AFP.

Australian Defence Force:
Under our legislation the Commonwealth Ombudsman is also the Defence Force Ombudsman. The Ombudsman investigates complaints about the Australian Defence Force (ADF) relating to or arising from present or past service.

Freedom of Information:
From 1 November 2014, if you are not satisfied with the way a Commonwealth agency has processed your Freedom of Information request, you can complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

Reviews of FOI decisions by Commonwealth agencies will continue to be handled by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner until 31 December 2014. From 1 January 2015, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal will be responsible for this function.

The ACT Ombudsman will continue to handle complaints about the processing of FOI requests by ACT Government agencies.

Immigration:
The Commonwealth Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in the same way as any other Australian Government department or agency.

Postal Industry:
Legislation to create a separate office of Postal Industry Ombudsman (PIO) within the office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman was passed by Parliament on 29 March 2006 and took effect later in 2006.

Overseas Students:
The legal basis for the creation of the Overseas Students Ombudsman (OSO) role within the office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman is the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Legislation Amendment Act 2011, passed by the Australian Parliament on 21 March 2011.