Chapter Contents

Last updated 10 February 2026

click to download a pdf of this chapterComplaints to the Commonwealth Ombudsman
Complaints to the Queensland Ombudsman

The function of the Commonwealth and Queensland ombudsmen is to receive and investigate complaints about the administrative actions of government agencies. An administrative action is any action about a matter of administration and includes a decision, an action, and an omission or failure to act. The ombudsman has the power to investigate complaints for which no other remedy is available. ‘Investigate’ means the ombudsman will find out what happened and make recommendations on any problems identified. The ombudsman does not make a fresh decision.

Any type of complaint can be made to the ombudsman, whether it concerns the legality of an administrative action, a decision or its merits. The ombudsman cannot investigate certain administrative actions and has the discretion to refuse to investigate in certain other circumstances.

The ombudsman can make a wide range of recommendations that aim to fix problems and improve how government agencies work. These recommendations might suggest an agency change a policy, fix a mistake, explain a decision more clearly or take steps to prevent similar issues in the future.

The recommendations are designed to be practical and achievable with clear actions and timeframes. The ombudsman focuses on situations that are unfair, unreasonable, discriminatory or based on errors. Importantly, the ombudsman will work to make sure the agency follows through with the changes.

The ombudsman can also recommend that a government agency offer an apology, if this is considered a meaningful way to acknowledge wrongdoing and help restore trust. An apology might be suggested alongside other actions like reviewing a decision or changing a policy. The intent of all such recommendations is to lead to better services, fair treatment and more accountability for everyone.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman is created by the Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth) (Cth Ombudsman Act) and the Queensland Ombudsman is created by the Ombudsman Act 2001 (Qld) (Qld Ombudsman Act).

Before contacting either the Commonwealth or Queensland ombudsman, it is essential to contact the agency whose service caused the dissatisfaction first. This gives that agency the opportunity to review the facts and resolve issues.