Make a Complaint
The Local Government Investigation and Compliance Inspectorate (Inspectorate) investigates matters relating to council operations and breaches of the Local Government Act 1989 (Act) involving a councillor, a senior council officer and any individual subject to the conflict of interest provisions within the Act; or any individual where the matter relates to electoral provisions.
Before making a complaint to the Inspectorate, there are a number of things to consider.
- Is the complaint related to electoral matters or a breach of the Act?
- Unless the complaint relates to electoral matters, is it about a councillor, a senior council officer or an individual subject to the conflict of interest provisions within the Act?
- Where appropriate, has an attempt been made to resolve the issue directly with the council first?
If the answer is yes to all of the questions above, then proceed to lodge a complaint with the Inspectorate.
All complaints are dealt with in strict confidence. The Inspectorate is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). This means that if a Freedom of Information request is made to the Inspectorate, there may be a requirement under the provisions of the FOI Act to provide access to information or documents unless the exemption provisions under the FOI Act apply. Details of the complainant will not be released by the Inspectorate.
The Inspectorate is unable to provide protection under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 however, Ombudsman Victoria can.
You can make an anonymous complaint however, the Inspectorate prefers to communicate with complainants directly to obtain further information and evidence as well as providing outcome results. Therefore it is preferable for complainants to leave contact details.
By phone
Complaints hotline: 1800 469 359
8am – 5pm weekdays
A message bank will be available outside of these operating hours.
When making a complaint over the phone, be prepared to discuss specific details of your complaint. The Inspectorate will assess your complaint over the phone and advise if it can be investigated or needs to be referred to an alternative agency.
You may be asked to send in supporting evidence for your complaint.
You should make a note of the date of the phone call for your personal records.
By email
inspectorate@dpcd.vic.gov.au
When making a complaint via email, concisely outline your matter including relevant dates, names, times, meetings and places and any other information to substantiate your allegation. Attach any relevant documents and material you may have.
Save a copy of your complaint for your personal records.
By post
Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate
GPO Box 2392
Melbourne
Victoria 3001
As with email, when making a complaint via post, concisely outline your matter including relevant dates, names, times, meetings and places and any other information to substantiate your allegation. Include any relevant documents and material you may have.
Keep a copy of your complaint for your personal records.
Timeframes
Due to the volume of complaints received and the often complex nature of investigations, the investigation process can take some time. Each case is different and so we are unable to provide specific timeframes.
The Inspectorate will keep complainants informed of the progress of the investigation.