Help with complaints and issues

This includes issues with the day-to-day services provided by your council, such as missed rubbish collections, road maintenance or noise complaints.

Every council is required to have a customer service charter. This document outlines the council's service principles and the procedure for making a complaint and how it will be handled. Councils are required to publish their customer service charter on their website. Find your council's website in the council directory.

Every council must have a code for tenders and contracts. This document includes the council's complaint resolution process for anyone with concerns about how a tender has been managed.

You can find a copy of the code for tenders and contracts on the council's website. Find your council's website in the council directory.

This is for complaints about a council's administrative processes and decisions, where you believe the council has acted unfairly or improperly. Examples include the unfair enforcement of a policy or a decision made without following the correct procedure.

An avenue for investigating these types of complaints is the Ombudsman Tasmania. The Ombudsman requires you first try to resolve the complaint directly with the council before it will consider investigating the matter. You should only contact the Ombudsman after you have completed the council's own complaint resolution process.

This is for complaints that a councillor has breached the standards of behaviour set out in the code of conduct, such as failing to treat someone with respect, bullying or harassment.

It is a requirement you first try to resolve the issue directly with the council through its dispute resolution policy before making a formal code of conduct complaint. Every council is required to have a policy that outlines the process for managing disputes. You can find the policy on your local council's website. Find your council's website in the council directory.

If you have completed the council's internal process and are still unsatisfied with the outcome, a formal complaint can be lodged as a last resort.

This covers questions about planning rules, complaints about possible breaches of the planning scheme and formal appeals against a council's planning decision.

When it comes to planning, your local council acts as the planning authority for your area and is responsible for assessing development applications.

For general questions or complaints your first point of contact should always be your local council. This includes:

• Questions about the planning scheme.
• Complaints about a potential breach of the planning scheme or a permit condition.

If you were the applicant or you made a formal representation on a development application, you may be able to appeal the council's final decision. These appeals are not handled by the council. They are handled by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

For serious matters involving dishonest or corrupt behaviour by a councillor or council employee, contact the Integrity Commission.

Examples include a councillor using their position for personal gain or the dishonest use of public funds.

The Director of Local Government can investigate formal complaints that a council, councillor or general manager has failed to comply with their legal obligations or may have committed an offence under the Local Government Act.

This generally relates to serious failures of process and governance or matters of integrity. Examples include a failure to conduct a council meeting appropriately, misuse of office or significant conflicts of interest.