While the ARC aims to meet the standards of service delivery set out in the ARC Service Charter, we accept that, despite our best efforts, from time to time things may go wrong and you may have a complaint about the ARC. The ARC Complaints Handling and Appeals Policy document outlines the ARC’s process for handling complaints, including general complaints.
A general complaint may be about:
Individuals with a potential general complaint about the ARC are encouraged to make initial contact with the ARC staff member involved to discuss the matter.
If an individual remains unsatisfied after discussion with an ARC staff member, or in cases where an individual feels uncomfortable discussing their concerns with the ARC staff member involved, the complaints handling process is available.
All formal general complaints must be in writing and submitted by completing the General Complaints Form:
The General Complaints Form should be sent to:
Postal: The Complaints Handling Officer, Australian Research Council, GPO Box 2702, CANBERRA ACT 2601Email: complaints@arc.gov.au
To enable timely investigation of the complaint it is preferable that the complaint contain the following information:
The ARC’s Complaints Handling Officer will oversee the complaints handling process. They will:
The ARC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) may, with the assistance of ARC Executive where required, make a decision regarding the outcome of the complaint. Where applicable, the complainant will be advised of the outcome of the complaint. If the CEO decides that a general complaint is justified, a course of action will also be decided. Possible outcomes could be:
The capacity of the ARC to deal with anonymous complaints is restricted by the complainant’s desire to remain anonymous. Anonymous complaints about the ARC do not allow the ARC to investigate specific concerns or provide the complainant with feedback as to how the complaint has been resolved. The complaint will nevertheless be considered.
If a complainant is not satisfied with the ARC’s response to their complaint, they may write back to the ARC within 30 working days of receiving the ARC’s response. They should provide reasons why they feel the ARC’s response is not satisfactory. The complaint may then be referred back to the CEO for reconsideration. Where possible, a further response will be provided within 30 working days.
If a complainant has completed each stage of the general complaints handling process and is still not satisfied, or is dissatisfied at any time during the handling of a complaint, they may wish to seek an external review of the complaint through an alternative mechanism, such as: