We are committed to fulfilling our role in achieving the Mission and Vision of the Anglican Church in Tasmania. We are equally committed to doing so in the best way possible, and without causing concern or hurt for any of the people we deal with. We know that despite our best efforts, we are not perfect and that we can always do better. Accordingly, we value complaints and feedback and recognise that effective complaint handling will benefit our stakeholders, our reputation and our administration. We affirm that complaints can highlight weaknesses in our policies and service delivery, and stimulate us to improve our operations. We also affirm that good complaint handling will reassure stakeholders that we are committed to resolving problems, improving relations and building loyalty, and to improving our accountability and transparency.

Our complaint and feedback handling system is based on biblical principles, modelled on principles of fairness, accessibility, responsiveness and efficiency. Complaint handling has the same priority as our core business.  All complaints will be investigated with complete impartiality by a staff member or Board member who is not personally involved in the issues, or by an external consultant or adviser. Each complaint will be assessed on its own merits. As far as possible confidentiality and privacy will be maintained and we will be transparent in reporting back results to you as quickly as reasonably possible. It is our aim to resolve all complaints as quickly and efficiently as possible. For example, if they can be resolved over the phone at the time they are made, we will do so.

We will not victimise or treat any person adversely because they have made a complaint. There is no financial charge for making a complaint. If you have special needs (eg non English speaking background or a physical impairment), please let us know and we will do our best to assist you.

You may initiate a complaint or feedback by email, letter or telephone call - see the contact details below. If you wish to make your complaint or provide feedback anonymously, it will still receive our genuine attention, although of course we will be unable to report back or seek further information which may be able to assist us in dealing with any issue. We are happy to deal directly with you, or through a parent, guardian, friend or adviser.

We take complaints and feedback seriously. All complaints will be handled by our Secretary, unless it is inappropriate for him or her to do so, eg due to absence or a lack of independence, in which case another senior member of staff or a Board member will handle it. In matters of great significance, we may outsource the handling of a complaint to an external adviser or consultant, to whom we will give complete co-operation.

Our standard complaint handling procedures are as follows (although we reserve the right to approach a complaint more flexibly if we think it will achieve a more just and efficient outcome):

1. We will acknowledge each complaint promptly and give you the contact details of the person handling the complaint, ideally within 2 business days. If we have not finalised your complaint within 7 days after that, we will contact you to report our progress.
2. We will assess the complaint and assign it priority.
3. If investigation is required, we will plan how the investigation is to be carried out.
4. We will investigate all relevant factual issues and then review the complaint in light of those facts. We will then consider options for complaint resolution.
5. We will contact you to discuss the complaint. In doing so we will inform you of the relevant facts we have identified and ask you to comment and/or give us any other relevant information you may have. We will then discuss with you how we propose to resolve the complaint. If we were wrong or have acted inappropriately, we will apologise.
6. If you are not satisfied with the proposed resolution, our Chair will review the position, and we will contact you appropriately. If you are still not satisfied, and we believe that there are genuine issues involved, we may suggest an externally facilitated mediation via PeaceWise (peacewise.org.au) or similar. Alternatively, you may pursue any other action which you believe is appropriate.
7. We will act on any systemic issues that are identified as a result of the complaint or feedback.

(Note – if we reasonably believe that a complaint is vexatious, trivial or not genuine we will inform you accordingly as soon as we form that view. If you wish to take matters further, you may pursue any other action which you believe is appropriate.)

We appreciate that complaints and feedback can provide an insight into our programs and services, and may show that they are not working as well as they might. We will use information brought to light by any complaints and feedback to improve our service to our stakeholders by:

• highlighting service failings that need to be remedied; and
• revealing problems and trends that can be acted on by management.

We will address at Board level any significant issues which are revealed by our complaints handling and feedback procedures.