Complaints

Complaint options

Operations and service

Complaints about the City's operations and service/s can include:

• complaints about service
• complaints about process
• complaints about fees
• all other complaints.

Complaints of this type can be submitted via: Complaint regarding City Operations. You are required to provide your name and contact details for complaints about operations or service to ensure a full investigation can be completed.

Staff member (including the CEO)

The City will investigate formal complaints about employees and these can be submitted via: Complaint regarding a City Staff Member.

You are required to provide your name and contact details for complaints about employees to ensure a full investigation can be completed.

Council members, committee members and candidates

There are three types of breaches under the breach system: behavioural, conduct and specified. Breach complaints are made against council and committee members.

Behavioural breaches of the City’s Code of Conduct by Councillors, Committee members and candidates can be submitted via the Code of Conduct Breach Form.

These complaints are dealt with by the City.

• complaints must be submitted within one month after the occurrence of the alleged breach.
• complaints about an alleged breach by a candidate cannot be dealt with unless the candidate has been elected.
• ·       the City takes all reasonable steps to maintain confidentiality when dealing with a Complaint, in order to protect both the Complainant (person making the complaint) and Respondent (person the complaint is about). The Complainant should also take all reasonable steps to maintain confidentiality of the complaint.

Conduct and Specified breaches

Complaints of this nature are reported to and handled by the Local Government Inspector. Conduct breaches contravene the Local Government (Model Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021 and include

• misuse of a local government resource
• securing personal advantage or disadvantaging others
• prohibition against involvement in administration
• relationships with local government employees
• disclosure of information/interests.

Conduct breaches can be submitted online or by submitting a Breach Complaint Form.

Specified Breaches

Specified breaches are specified offences listed in Schedule 8A.1 in the Local Government Act 1995  or prescribed in the Local Government (Local Government Inspector) Regulations 2025.

Specified offences include:

• failure to vote at a meeting
• failure to disclose an electoral gift
• improper use of information
• disclosure of information about a complaint
• provision of false or misleading information about a complaint
• hindering or obstructing the Inspector, a monitor or an investigator.

Specified breaches can be submitted online or by submitting a Breach Complaint Form.

Further information relating to conduct and specified breaches can be found on the website of the Local Government Inspector.

Request

• To lodge a complaint, please select the correct option below.
• You are required to provide your name and contact details for complaints about operations or service and employees to ensure a full investigation can be completed.
• Your complaint will be assigned to the appropriate area for investigation.
• If you have an accessibility requirement or are unable to complete the request form, please contact us on 1300 422 664.
• If you are unable to find the correct address when submitting the request, please contact us.