ADCQ Annual Report 2007–08
Complaint Management
Overview
The Commission has continued to provide high quality complaint management services. This year there was a slight
decrease in complaints lodged. Assessment of complaints is rigorous, ensuring the confidence of both complainants
and respondents that accepted complaints have satisfied the statutory threshold requirements.
Together with careful assessment of complaints, the complaint management team has continued to achieve high settlement
rates across the state at the same time as continuing very high rates of client satisfaction. As a result, fewer
complaints are being referred for formal hearing in the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal.
Statewide trends
Across Queensland 832 complaints were lodged in 2007-08. This is a slight decrease from 2006-07 when 903 complaints
were lodged. The majority of complaints, 65%, arose in the work area, showing a small but consistent trend upwards over
the previous three years. 63% of those originated in South-East Queensland. About 56% of all complaints lodged were
accepted. The other 44% of complaints lodged fell outside the jurisdiction of the Commission and complainants were
referred elsewhere.
This year complaints were accepted on 667 grounds.
The main grounds of accepted complaints include impairment, sexual harassment, sex, race, family responsibilities and
victimisation. This pattern is similar to recent years although the proportion of race discrimination and victimisation
complaints have declined by about 2% each, while the proportion of sex discrimination complaints has increased by 4%.
Impairment discrimination constituted 26% of accepted grounds of complaints which is similar to last year. Sexual
harassment complaints have remained steady at 15%.
Family responsibilities made up 7% of accepted complaints, which suggests a small but continuing trend upward.
Vilififi cation complaints have dropped to 1%, continuing a slow downward trend. All fifi ve of these complaints arose in
South East Queensland.
The second most common area of complaint was in the goods and services area, representing 15% which is consistent with
last year. Complaints in the area of state laws and programs have dropped slightly to 7%, from 9% last year. While the
proportion of complaints in the education area remains relatively steady at 5%, complaints in the accommodation area have
increased slightly to 5%.
Conciliation conferences
During the year 360 conciliation conferences were held across the state. Of those 214 (59%) were held in South-East
Queensland with the balance of conferences being held in regional offices. This is consistent with the statewide approach
to complaint management which facilitates the speedy resolution of complaints.
Complaint resolution rate by conciliation is significant at 60%. This maintains the record settlement rates set last
year. This reflects the Commission's emphasis on the effective resolution of complaints.
Overall, 82% of accepted complaints were finalised within the Commission which is the third consecutive increase in the
past four years. Only 18% of accepted complaints were referred to the Tribunal. This is a direct reflection of the greater settlement rates being achieved in the Commission.
Satisfaction with the complaint management process increased to 88% from 84% in 2006-07. This continues the
consistently high satisfaction rates over the past four years.
Timeliness
With rigorous assessment of complaints before acceptance, the number of complaints which can be assessed within
the 28 day legislative timeframe has decreased slightly to 52%. The remaining 48% of complaints did not contain
sufficient information to enable a decision to be made to accept or reject the complaint and further information was
sought from the complainant in relation to these.
74% of accepted complaints were conferenced within the 42 days statutory timeframe, consistent with previous
years. Delays in holding conferences in other matters frequently occurred where the parties were unavailable or
too ill to attend earlier.
62% of accepted complaints were finalised within three months of acceptance, up slightly on the previous two
years. A total of 87% of accepted complaints were fifi nalised within six months, up from 83%, and a total of 95%
of complaints were finalised within nine months of acceptance, up from 93%. The improvement in the timeliness of
the finalisation of complaints after acceptance shows the continued efficiency of complaint management processes in the Commission.
Advocates' training
The complaint management team provided training to advocates from a broad range of legal and non-legal
backgrounds in relation to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (the Act). Training courses have been held
in both Brisbane and Cairns with a view to assisting advocates to better understand and advise their clients about
the unique provisions relating to complaints under the Act. Advocates' training has been a welcome initiative which
has been well received by lawyers, union and community advocates alike.
Back to Table of Contents for 2007-2008 ADCQ Annual Report
