Complaints Management

The inclusion of a formal complaint process in your incorporated association’s procedures may assist you to deal with any disputes that arise both internally and externally.

Its recommended that your club:

• appoint a resource appropriately skilled to deal with complaints;
• establish a system to record, track and monitor complaints;
• accurately record information about the complaint including key outcomes and process undertaken. 

Law changes REQUIRE DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY

Please note under law changes expected to commence by 22 June 2022, an incorporated association will be required to have an internal grievance procedure or dispute resolution process in place.

Under the grievance procedure a member may appoint any person to act on their behalf and each party involved will be given an opportunity to be heard.

The grievance procedure must also provide for unbiased mediation if the dispute cannot be initially resolved amongst parties.

Clubs intending to use their own customised dispute resolution process will need to include it in their rules by passing a special resolution.

If the association doesn’t have a grievance procedure in place by 22 June 2022, it will need to observe the grievance procedure contained in the model rules to be developed by the Office of Fair Trade.