This is national law, so it applies across Australia. Some services listed here are in Victoria. For services in your state or territory, see Help in other states.
What you need to know
Federal government agencies have to follow the law. If one makes a decision about you that you think is wrong, you can ask for it to be reviewed, or complain about how you were treated.
Time limits are short and the right path depends on who made the decision. We can help you work out where to go and what to say.
- Always ask the agency to review its own decision first.
- The Administrative Review Tribunal reviews many Commonwealth decisions, usually within 28 days.
- The Commonwealth Ombudsman looks at how federal agencies treat you, after you have complained to the agency.
- You can use FOI to get documents about you from government agencies.
How we can help
- Advice on asking for an internal review or a statement of reasons
- Help preparing an application to the Administrative Review Tribunal
- Help with FOI requests and FOI reviews
- Help writing a complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman
- Representation at a tribunal where capacity allows
Guides
Need help with this?
We are not taking requests yet. These services can help today.