FAQs

What can I complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about?

The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about actions and decisions of Australian Government agencies to see if they are wrong, unjust, unlawful, discriminatory or just plain unfair. The Ombudsman also seeks remedies for those affected by administrative deficiency and acts to improve public administration generally.

Can I come to an Office to discuss my complaint?

A complaint can be lodged at our offices in Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. The location of offices that are open for the lodgement of complaints is available on our website.

Prior to visiting an office, please phone us on 1300 362 072 so that we can ensure a staff member is available to assist you.

Can I complain to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about a tax issue?

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.

Who can complain to the Ombudsman?

Anyone can make a complaint to the Ombudsman. If you do not want to, or can’t make the complaint yourself, you can ask someone else to complain on your behalf.

If the person acting on your behalf is not your legal guardian or legal representative, you need to give us your consent for that person to communicate with us when you make a complaint using our online complaint form. You can also call us on 1300 362 072.

What does it cost?

The Ombudsman’s services are free.

Can I make an anonymous complaint?

Yes. The Ombudsman accepts anonymous or 'whistleblower' complaints.  However, we will not normally investigate unless the complaint raises a serious matter and there is sufficient information in the complaint to enable us to conduct an investigation.

How do I make a complaint?

Making a complaint is simple. You can make a complaint by telephone, in person, in writing, by fax, or using our online complaint form. If you do not speak or write English well, we can arrange for translation and interpreter services. Someone else can make a complaint on your behalf, but we may still need to contact you to get your approval to proceed. Your complaint should include copies of all relevant correspondence with the agency that you are making a complaint about and any reference numbers.

What should I include in my complaint?

Keep it simple and stick to the facts. Be as specific as possible about dates, names and other important details. There should be enough information for the Ombudsman to understand the circumstances of your complaint and decide how to deal with it. When writing your complaint, think about:

• What happened?
• Where did the events take place?
• When (time and date)?
• Who was involved?
• Were there any witnesses to these events? Have you included their details?
• Do you have any medical evidence, photographs or documents which may be relevant? If so, you may want to supply copies with your complaint.
• Have you taken any action already in relation to your complaint? What happened?
• What action or outcome would you like to see as a result of your complaint?

What happens to my complaint?

View How to make a complaint.

How long will it take?

We have found that most complaints can be dealt with quickly. Others may take months to investigate properly. In any event, we will try to deal with your complaint as quickly as possible, and to keep you informed of progress.

We aim to respond to your contact with our Office as quickly as possible, and we seek to finalise 75% of complaints lodged with our Office within 90 working days. However, our response time will vary depending on which of our functions you are using and who your complaint or enquiry is about. And of course, each matter is different, and the timing will depend on the nature and complexity of your matter.

What happens if there is an investigation?

If the Ombudsman finds your complaint is justified, the conclusions are reported to you and to the agency, organisation or provider concerned. The Ombudsman may recommend it reconsider or change its action or decision; that a law, rule or procedure should be changed; and/or that the agency should take any other appropriate action – such as paying compensation for financial loss.

The Ombudsman cannot override the decisions or compel agencies, organisations or providers to comply with our recommendations. Generally, agencies accept the Ombudsman's recommendations. If they do not, and the Ombudsman considers it in the public interest to do so, a formal report can be made to the relevant minister, the Prime Minister, or to Parliament.

What can I expect from the Ombudsman?

Professional and courteous attention, an independent, impartial assessment of your complaint, and advice about the options available. We will undertake confidential, free and prompt investigations if appropriate, using procedures that are fair to everyone concerned. We will provide clear explanations about what we can and cannot do, and for any decision we make. We will keep you informed of the progress of your complaint.

Our Service Charter sets out our standards of service in more detail.

What if I am dissatisfied with the Ombudsman's decision or actions?

Criticisms and compliments are important ways of gaining feedback about our service. We are committed to improving our service to the community, and your views are welcome even if they are critical.

Our investigation
You can discuss the progress of your complaint with the officer conducting the investigation. You are welcome to provide evidence, additional information or your view of the facts and we will give you a full explanation of the decisions that we make and the evidence on which they are based.

Review
If you disagree with our final decision, you can ask us to review it. A request for review should be made in writing within three months of being told of our decision.

Review information sheet and request form

The review will be conducted by a senior officer who was not involved in the original investigation of your complaint. The review will consider:

• the process adopted by the investigating officer and whether it was fair and adequate to address all the complaint issues you raised
• the merit of the officer's conclusions and whether they were properly explained to you.

The review officer may:

• uphold the decision of the original investigation officer
• change the decision of the original investigation officer
• send the matter back to the original investigation officer or another officer for further investigation.

We endeavour to complete reviews within 30 days. The review officer will send you a letter advising you of the outcome of the review.

We will only review a matter once.