Complaints Policy

The Centre is committed to ensuring that any person using the Wirringa Baiya service or affected by its operations has the right to lodge a complaint or appeal a decision of the organisation. 

The Centre is committed to ensuring that any person using the Wirringa Baiya service or affected by its operations has the right to lodge a complaint or appeal a decision of the organisation. All persons have the right to have their concerns addressed in ways that ensure access and equity, fairness, accountability, transparency and cultural respect. 


The Centre will provide a complaints and appeals management procedure that is:

 

  • Simple and easy to use;
  • Effectively communicated and promoted to all clients and stakeholders;
  • Ensures complaints or appeals are fairly assessed and responded to promptly;
  •  Is procedurally fair and follow principles of natural justice; and
  • Complies with legislative requirements.

 

The Centre believes that workers should respect the rights of clients no matter what the personal beliefs or professional values of the worker. The client has the right to a considerate and respectful service of the highest standard regardless of social status, education, age, disability, gender, religious belief, sexuality, political belief or any other values or life experience.


The Centre shall ensure that our Aboriginal and Torres Strait women, children and people are culturally respected and sensitively treated when working along side them with their cases, projects or within their communities.

You may have a support person or an advocate with you at anytime throughout the complaints process. You may speak to the Coordinator or the Chairperson about your complaint to get further information on the process.


At all times, the Centre shall follow the principles of natural justice when dealing with client and stakeholder complaints. Natural justice is a concept that ensures fair hearings; it requires that:

 

  • The Centre considers all complaints received;
  • The person whose action is the subject of a complaint knows all allegations made in relation to their behaviour and has a full opportunity to state their case;
  • All parties to the complaint have the right to be heard;
  • The person with the complaint shall be advised of the time-frame for dealing with complaints and will be kept informed of any responses or actions taken during the complaint process.

 

 Clients may make complaints (either in writing or verbally) to:

 

  • The solicitor who advised them;
  •  A supervising Solicitor or the Principal Solicitor;
  • The Coordinator;
  • The Chairperson;
  •  The Governing Committee (when related to the Coordinator); and/or
  •  A relevant outside body

 

You may ask one of the staff members to assist you in putting your complaint/s in writing.

If you do have a complaint, please contact the Centre and you can enquire into how to lodge your complaint or to find more about the complaints process.


Alternatively, you may email your complaint to the Coordinator at  c.robinson@wirringabaiya.org.au or lodge your complaint by mailing Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre, PO Box 785, Marrickville 2204. Please address your letter `confidential’ to the Coordinator, Christine Robinson or the Chairperson.

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