Managing the complaints process

This complaints procedure has been established for resolving complaints by affected persons about the administrative actions of Council.

What is Administrative Action?

• a decision, or a failure to make a decision, including a failure to provide a written statement of reasons for a decision;
• an act, or a failure to do an act;
• the formulation of a proposal or intention;
• the making of a recommendation.

What is an Administrative Action Complaint? As defined in section 268 (2) or the Local Government Act 2009: An administrative action complaint is a complaint that –

• is about an administrative action of a local government, and
• is made by the affected person.

Administrative Action Complaints does not apply to:

• Competitive neutrality complaints;
• Complaints about the Mayor or a Councillor
• Complaints made under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010;
• Complaints about the conduct of staff or a contractor; and
• Complaints about the discrimination, equal employment opportunity or industrial matters including Council’s Enterprise Bargain Agreement.

A complaint should not be confused with a request for service, notification, enquiry or suggestion.

For more definitions of terms, please see Council’s Administrative Action Complaints Procedure.

Click to view Council’s Public Interest Disclosure Procedures.

Affected persons, or their agent can request assistance from a Council Officer on how to make a complaint by contacting a Council Customer Service Centre.

A complainant may make a complaint in any of the following ways:

• Orally, either by telephone or in person;
• By email to admin@northburnett.qld.gov.au; or
• In writing. All written complaints must be addressed to:
  Chief Executive Officer
  North Burnett Regional Council
  PO Box 390
  GAYNDAH QLD 4625

Affected persons are able to make a complaint anonymously if they wish. If a complainant does decide to complain anonymously, the need to provide sufficient information for the matter to be investigated is critical. If made anonymously, it will not be possible for Council to clarify or request further information from the complainant. Further, it would not be possible to advise the complainant of Council’s decision and the reasons for that decision in relation to the complaint.

An investigation of a complaint will be undertaken by Council in an impartial, objective, and as far as reasonably possible, confidential manner. The investigation of a complaint will typically involve the following stages:

• Information gathering, including discussions and interviews with the complainant, Council staff, Councillors, contractors and third parties (where relevant);
• Analysis of information obtained;
• Preparation of a report on the results of the investigation, incluidng as appropriate formulation of findings and any recommendations.

• All Administrative Action Complaints will be acknowledged in writing.
• Complaints will be dealt with as promptly as possible with an indication of the expected time frame included (where possible).
• Where extended time frames are likely to occur, Council will inform the complainant in writing accordingly.
• A complainant who remains dissatisfied with Council’s decision on an Administrative Action Complaint may seek an external review of that decision from an appropriate oversight agency, including via the Queensland Ombudsman, refer www.ombudsman.qld.gov.au

• Administrative Action Complaints Procedure
• Administrative Action Complaints Policy