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.
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.
