About Complaints Making a Complaint Where to get help
Where to get help
Although your sport’s club/organisation will deal with complaints, external help is available. Irrespective of whether you have a complaint, you’re responding to a complaint or someone has complained about you, you can get information and external support from a range of agencies.
| Anti-discrimination agencies |
Free confidential advice about discrimination, harassment, victimisation and the lodgement of complaints |
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| Child protection agencies |
Offer advice and handle reporting of child abuse / suspicion of harm against child |
| Police |
Investigate physical and sexual assault (of children and adults) |
| Legal service commissions |
Provide free legal advice (limited) and means tested legal representation |
| Law societies |
Offer referrals to specialist legal practitioners (fee for service) |
| Community legal and mediation services |
Provide low (or no) free mediation for sport’s club complaints. |
Click here for more information in the Quick Reference Guide
More information about agencies and their services
| Anti-discrimination and equal opportunity commissions |
Administer national human rights and equal opportunity laws. Investigate and attempt to resolve complaints of illegal discrimination, harassment or victimisation. Educate to prevent discrimination and harassment. |
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| Australian Sports Commission |
Implements federal government’s sport policies. Helps the sport industry develop child safe, harassment-free environments. Monitors the handling of national level complaints (does not directly handle complaints or investigations). |
| Child protection agencies
Note: Some states have more than one agency administering child protection legislation. |
Provide advice on enquiries about suspicion of harm against children and investigate emotional abuse and neglect. Administer Working With Children or police checks. |
| Community mediation services |
Free (or low cost), confidential mediation and negotiation. |
| Law societies |
Provide: - legal advisory services - mediation - referral services. Legal Services CommissionProvides free legal advice. Provides means tested legal representation. |
| Police |
Investigate allegations of physical or sexual assault. Investigate suspicions of child abuse. Conduct criminal record checks. Provide application forms for national police checks. |
| State and territory sport and recreation agencies |
Implement state government’s sport policies. Help in the development of child safe, harassment-free sporting environments. Do not directly handle complaints or investigate or resolve disputes. Note: The services offered by agencies may vary between states and territories. |
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This information should be used as a general guide only. Click here for more information about your state/territory’s services and their contact details. | |
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