Make a complaint - Victorian Inspectorate

You should attempt to resolve your complaint with the body you are making a complaint about. If you are still unable to resolve your complaint, we may be able to assist you with your complaint.

We may receive complaints about how the bodies (including their officers) we oversee have performed or used particular functions or powers. The bases on which a complaint may be made, include whether the conduct was:

• contrary to law
• unreasonable, unjust, oppressive or improperly discriminatory
• based on improper motives
• an abuse of power
• otherwise improper

The types of functions or powers that we may receive a complaint about differ for each body (or officers) that we oversee and are outlined in Section 43 of the Victorian Inspectorate Act 2011 (VI Act). A summary is below.

IBAC or IBAC staff

We can receive and investigate complaints about how IBAC and IBAC staff have performed or used their functions or powers. 

For more information about IBAC, visit the IBAC website. 

Victorian Ombudsman

We can receive complaints about how an Ombudsman officer has used their coercive powers or complied with procedural fairness when performing their duties under the Ombudsman Act 1973. 

For more information about the Victorian Ombudsman, visit the Victorian Ombudsman website. 

Office of the Chief Examiner

We can investigate complaints about how the Chief Examiner or an Examiner have used their coercive powers or complied with the Major Crime (Investigative Powers) Act 2004.  

For more information about the Chief Examiner, visit the Chief Examiner website. 

OVIC

We can investigate complaints about how an OVIC officer has:

Used their coercive powers. 

OR

Complied with procedural fairness when:

• using their coercive powers under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) or the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014
• conducting investigations under Part VIB of the FOI Act
• making recommendations under section 61L of the FOI Act
• making investigation reports under section 61Q of the FOI Act
• making compliance notices under Part 3 of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014

For more information about OVIC, visit the OVIC website.

VAGO

We can investigate complaints about how a VAGO officer has:

• used their coercive powers
• complied with sections 30-37, 39, 41-46 and 48-51 of the Audit Act 1994

For more information about VAGO, visit the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) website. 

(Former) Office of Police Integrity

The former Office of Police Integrity (OPI) was closed in 2013. We have certain limited power to receive and investigate complaints about the conduct of the OPI prior to that date. 

If you think you may have a complaint about the OPI or a former OPI officer, contact us on 03 8614 3232. 

We have no power to investigate complaints about the following organisations: 

Local Government

The Local Government Inspectorate can investigate complaints about council operations and breaches of the Local Government Act 1989. This may include issues such as:

• corruption
• misuse of position
• conflict of interest
• disclosure of confidential information
• distribution of unauthorised electoral material

The Victorian Ombudsman can investigate actions by local councils in relation to matters such as:

• enforcement of parking, building or planning regulations
• nuisance control
• rates and service charges
• liability claims against Council
• drainage matters
• roads, construction, maintenance and closures
• contracts or agreements with Council
• building matters
• planning and subdivision permits, advertising and zoning

Victorian government authorities

For complaints about Victorian government authorities, including all Victorian government departments and most statutory bodies, contact the Victorian Ombudsman.

Victoria Police

For complaints about Victoria Police, contact:

• Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission
• Police Conduct Unit of Victoria Police

Universities and TAFEs

If you’re unable to resolve a complaint directly with the educational institution, you can contact the Victorian Ombudsman.

Breach of privacy

If you’re unable to resolve a complaint directly with a public sector agency, about a breach of privacy, contact the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner for advice or to lodge a formal complaint.

Legal practitioners

If you have a complaint about your legal practitioner you can contact the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner.

The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006

Complaints regarding whether administrative actions taken by a public sector organisation are not compatible with the Charter can be made to the Victorian Ombudsman.

Complaints about discrimination, sexual harassment, racial or religious vilification and victimisation can be made to the Victorian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Criminal offences

Suspected criminal conduct should be reported to Victoria Police.

• If you require legal protections to protect you from potential payback for making your complaint, and your complaint is about corruption or other misconduct, you may wish to consider making a public interest disclosure (PID) by completing a PID form. For more information about making a PID, visit our Public Interest Disclosures page.
• If you wish to make a PID about us or our officers you must make your PID to the Victorian Parliament's Integrity and Oversight Committee (IOC) or to a Presiding Officer. Presiding Officers of Parliament are the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the President of the Legislative Council. For more information, visit the Parliament of Victoria website. 
• Please consider your privacy and whether you wish to make an anonymous complaint to us.
• If you are complaining on behalf of another person, you must have their written consent before submitting their complaint to us.

It is an offence to deliberately make a statement to the VI that is false or misleading in a material particular.

If you seek legal protections to protect you from potential payback for making your complaint, and your complaint is about corruption or other misconduct, you may make a public interest disclosure (PID) under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (PID Act). 

Our PID form provides relevant information to help you make a PID. 

We will consider whether your complaint should be handled as a PID under the PID Act, regardless of whether you use the complaints form or the PID form, unless you have confirmed by marking the complaint form that your complaint is not a PID.  

It is best to make your complaint in writing, as it means we will have a permanent record of exactly what you have to say. To make it easier for you, we suggest you make your complaint using our online complaint form.

Submit your complaint online

Alternatively, you may submit your complaint by post, by downloading and completing the form below. 

You may also submit your complaint in person at our office. Contact our complaints line on (03) 8614 3232 if you would like to submit your complaint in person.

Need help? 

If you need help completing this form, contact us on 03 8614 3232. 

If you have difficulty speaking English, you can get help from the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450.

Please note: If you wish to make a PID, complete a PID form which can be found on our PID page.

In handling your complaint, we will undertake the following steps:

• consider whether we are the appropriate body to receive and investigate your complaint
• consider whether your complaint needs to be handled as a PID
• make enquiries to get relevant information or documents regarding your complaint
• review how best to resolve your complaint, including considering whether your complaint needs to be formally investigated
• where appropriate, address the issues complained about with the body you made a complaint about, which may include providing that body with formal or informal feedback or recommendations about improving the performance, compliance with, or exercise of their functions, powers or duties
• advise you of the outcome of your complaint

The principles which guide how we will handle your complaint, include: 

• providing accessible, no-cost and simple methods for complainants
• acknowledging and progressing complaints as quickly as we can
• providing transparent information about how we assess complaints
• protecting the privacy of complainant information as required by law
• treating everyone involved in a way that is objective, respectful and fair
• considering and respecting human rights
• promoting accountability for decisions
• acting on issues identified through our assessment of complaints by engaging with bodies to achieve improvements in the integrity system

We are committed to ensuring that everyone who contacts us is treated fairly. This means the right to:

• have your complaint heard
• be given the opportunity to provide additional information to support your claim
• have decisions that affect you made without bias
• be given reasons for those decisions  

We have the freedom to decide whether or not we will formally investigate your complaint. In exercising this discretion, we will consider a number of factors, including: 

• how best to resolve your complaint
• the subject matter and seriousness of the conduct reported
• whether your complaint has substance and is credible
• whether your complaint has already been investigated
• whether we can get information relating to your complaint 
• whether we have the resources to investigate your complaint

If we deal with your complaint as a PID under the PID Act and determine that your complaint is a Public Interest Complaint (PIC), under section 44(2) of the VI Act we must investigate it.