Make a complaint
Before you lodge a complaint with us
Complaints handled by the National Data Commissioner
The Commissioner handles complaints about DATA Scheme entities and the administration or operation of the DATA Scheme.
If your complaint is not about the DATA Scheme, the following Commonwealth agencies may be able to assist you:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
For privacy breaches, misuse of personal information and Australian Privacy Principles.
Australian Communications and Media Authority
For unwanted messages, phone calls, online gambling, telecommunications services and broadcasting content.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
For consumer protection, scams, misleading conduct and unfair practices.
eSafety Commissioner
For online abuse, scams, harmful content and cyberbullying.
Make a complaint
To make a complaint, please use the form below or email information@datacommissioner.gov.au.
Information to include when making a complaint
The following information will allow us to better handle your complaint, although they are not required for you to make a complaint with us:
- what your complaint is about (including any relevant evidence, if available)
- your name and contact details (including your organisation, if relevant)
- when the issue occurred (or started occurring)
- who you are complaining about
- any previous attempts to resolve the complaint
- any action already taken in relation to the complaint, including any outcomes reached
- any actions or outcomes you would like to see as a result of your complaint
- whether the complaint is time critical.
If you have any support needs or questions in relation to making a complaint, please let us know via email at information@datacommissioner.gov.au.
For more information
We aim to be in touch with you within 3 business days after receiving your complaint.
The next steps to handling your complaint may include making preliminary inquiries; pursuing a conciliation process; or conducting an investigation. At the conclusion of your complaint, we will advise you of the relevant review rights.
If your complaint is about a DATA Scheme entity, we strongly encourage you to attempt to resolve the issue with the relevant entity directly, before making a complaint to the Commissioner. If you have already done this, the Commissioner may ask you for any relevant records to handle your complaint.
If circumstances prevent you from raising the matter with the entity first, you may still make a complaint directly to the Commissioner. The Commissioner may ask the reason that you did not seek to rectify the issue directly with the entity before raising the complaint with them.
Where a complaint is about how personal information has been handled in the DATA Scheme, the Commissioner will work with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (the OAIC) to protect personal information under the DATA Scheme. With your permission your complaint may be transferred to the OAIC.
When making a complaint you are encouraged to provide as much information as possible for us to effectively handle your complaint and have the best chance at reaching your desired outcome. This includes personal information that can identify you. That said, you are able to make an anonymous complaint.
The ONDC will handle all complaints confidentially. This means the information you have provided will only be disclosed to those necessary to resolve the complaint. If there are details you do not want the ONDC to disclose, please identify those. We may then discuss with you how this could affect the outcome of your complaint.
For further information on how we handle personal information, please see our privacy collection notice.
