Complaints and review
Summary: The Act defines the complaints process and who handles the complaints.
Information on this page:
- Complaints to disability service providers
- Disability Services Commissioner
- Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)
The Disability Act (external link) provides for better and clearer complaints and review systems.
The 
Policy and information manual (PDF 510 KB) contains the complaints policy.
The manual also contains information on the Disability Services Commissioner (external link.) and VCAT (external link.).
Complaints to disability service providers
The Act says that disability service providers must:
- have a clear process for managing complaints about their services
- make sure that people who use their service know how to make a complaint
- report every year to the Disability Services Commissioner (external link) about the number of complaints they receive and how they managed these complaints.
Information sheet
The Complaints about disability services information sheet provides further information about complaints under the Act and some frequently asked questions.
Download the information sheet:
Complaints checklist
Service providers can check their compliance of section 104-106 of the Disability Act 2006 by using the complaints checklist.
Download the complaints checklist:
Complaints brochures
The Making a suggestion or complaint about your service provider brochure has been developed for disability service providers. The complaints brochure is also available in accessible formats.
The Making a complaint to the Department of Human Services brochure has been provided by Portfolio Services.
Complaints in relation to abuse and neglect can also be made to the National Disability Hotline (external link) on 1800 880 052.
Download the complaints brochure:
Disability Services Commissioner
The Act creates Victoria's first Disability Services Commissioner (external link) who works with people with a disability and disability service providers to resolve complaints.
The Disability Services Commissioner will be independent of government and disability service providers and will report annually to Parliament (external link).
Any person can make a complaint to the Disability Services Commissioner about disability services. The Disability Services Commissioner can also investigate complaints and has broad powers to look into complaints across a wide range of issues.
The Act makes it clear that it is an offence to threaten or intimidate a person who has made a complaint to the Disability Services Commissioner.
Information sheet
The Disability Services Commissioner provides some additional information about the Disability Services Commissioner.
Download the information sheet:
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)
Under the Act a number of decisions can be made or reviewed by Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (external link). This increases protections for people with a disability, who will be able to apply for review of certain decisions by a disability service provider.
VCAT is able to accept, modify or change the decision of the disability service provider, depending on the situation.
The Policy and information manual contains further information on decisions that can be made and reviewed by Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (external link).
Download the Policy and information manual: