Complaints Information

Complaints Information and Procedures

This page provides general information on making a complaint and on the complaints process. The information provided is intended as a guide only to the sorts of matters that can be dealt with as complaints. Please call if you need more information.

Can the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland help me?
What can the Anti-Discrimination Commission do?
Is there a time limit?
How do I complain?
Not sure if the Commission can help? / Need help with this form?
What will the Commission do with my complaint?
If the Commission accepts my complaint, what happens?

Further Information and Forms

A range of brochures and a video is available to assist with understanding the conciliation process. Their titles are listed below.

Making a Complaint brochure
Responding to a Complaint brochure
All about Conciliation Conferences brochure
Working it through, a free video about how conciliation conferences are run at the ADCQ is now available.
You can download the Complaint Form .

To request forms by post or fax, or to speak with us about making a complaint, contact ADCQ on 1300 130 670 or TTY 1300 130 680.

Other complaint handling bodies

It is possible that your complaint might be better handled by another complaint- handling or law enforcement body.
More detailed information is available here.

Can the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland help me?

The Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland can help you if you've been treated unfairly because:

of your sex;
of your relationship status;
you are, were or seeking to become pregnant;
of your parental status;
of your age;
of your lawful sexual activity;
of your impairment;
of your religious belief or religious activity;
of your political belief or activity;
of your trade union activity;
you are/were breastfeeding;
of your race;
of your gender identity
of your sexuality
of your family responsibilities
of your association with someone on the basis of any of the above grounds;
you have been victimised because of your involvement in a complaint which has been or will be made to the Commission.

The Commission can only help you if the treatment you are complaining about happened in certain areas of public life. These areas are:

employment;
goods and services;
education;
accommodation;
superannuation and insurance;
disposal of land;
club membership and affairs;
local government;
administration of State laws and programs

The Commission can also help if you have been:

sexually harassed (sexual harassment is unlawful everywhere and does not need an area); or
vilified in public because of your race, religion, gender identity or sexuality.

"Vilification" is a public act which incites others to hate, to have serious contempt of or to severely ridicule individuals or groups because of their race, religion, gender identity or sexuality. You, or an organisation representing your interests, can make a complaint.

What can the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland do?

The Commission can:

investigate complaints about these things;
help you and the other side find a way of solving the problem.

The Commission can't

take sides;
decide whether discrimination happened or not.

If the Commission can't help you solve the problem, you might be able to take your complaint to the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal Queensland, which can make a decision like a court.

Is there a time limit?

The Commission can only help you if the discrimination happened in the past 12 months. If it happened more than 12 months ago you need to have good reasons for not complaining until now.

Please note: The racial and religious vilification provisions came into force on 7 June 2001, and the Commission can only accept complaints on these grounds that have occurred after this date.The gender identity and sexuality vilification provisions came into force on 31 March 2003, and the Commission can only accept complaints on these grounds that have occurred after this date.

How do I complain?

You need to complain in writing, or if you prefer, on tape. The complaint can be in any language. Contact the Translating and Interpreting Service for help. If you can't sort out the problem yourself then you can fill out the Complaint Form or you can write us a letter with the information that we ask for in the form. Send the form or your letter to the address on the front of the form.

Not sure if the Anti-Discrimination Commission can help?
Need help with this form?

Please telephone or call into one of our offices and ask to speak to an Enquiry Officer. They can give you information about your complaint and suggest ways to solve the problem yourself. Our telephone and TTY numbers are given below. If you prefer to speak in your first language you can call us through the Telephone Interpreter Service.

What will the Anti-Discrimination Commission do with my complaint?

We will assess the complaint and decide if it comes under the Act. Should we need more information to decide whether to accept it or not, we will contact you.

If the Anti-Discrimination Commission accepts my complaint, what happens?

A conciliator, who is a member of staff, will manage your case. A copy of the complaint that you have lodged will be sent to each of the parties you are making a complaint against.The conciliator's role is to provide a fair process for all parties, and to help resolve the complaint through conciliation. Conciliation is an informal and private discussion to try to settle the complaint. You may bring a support person or legal adviser to a conciliation conference with the conciliator's permission.

This page is also available in Word format.

This information is intended as a guide only. It is not a substitute for legal advice. For more information contact the Commission on 1300 130 670 statewide or Teletypewriter 1300 130 680 statewide.