We are interested in your feedback about our service. If you have a complaint, we would like to know about it. If you are pleased with our service or have suggestions for improvement, we would like to hear about that too.
You can make a complaint or provide feedback by calling 02 8267 7400 or emailing our acting Principal Lawyer, Rachel Neil.
We will respond to your complaint quickly, fairly and in accordance with our feedback and complaints information.
Feedback and Complaints information
As a trauma-informed, culturally safe legal service, Knowmore welcomes feedback and complaints.
Feedback and complaints are one way of hearing victims and survivors’ voices, improving their experience of our service, and, where possible, providing an opportunity to enhance confidence in us as an organisation that will listen, and when needed, do better.
We will handle any feedback or complaints fairly, efficiently and effectively.
- Clients and members of the public who have feedback or a complaint in relation to Knowmore’s services can communicate this to Knowmore’s acting Principal Lawyer, Rachel Neil, by email (Principal.Lawyer@knowmore.org.au), telephone, or any other method.
- We accept anonymous complaints if there is a reasonable reason to do so and will carry out a confidential investigation of the issues raised where there is enough information provided.
- If a person prefers or needs another person or organisation to assist or represent them in providing feedback, we will communicate with them through their representative if this is their wish. Anyone may represent a person wishing to make a complaint to us with their consent.
- We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that people making complaints are not adversely affected because a complaint has been made by them or on their behalf.
- The Principal Lawyer will ordinarily have primary responsibility for handling any complaint about how Knowmore’s services have been delivered.
- If the Principal Lawyer, or other Executive, is the subject of the complaint, the CEO is responsible for responding to the complaint.
- If the CEO or a director of the Board is the subject of the complaint the Board through the Chair of the Board is responsible for the complaint.
- We will promptly acknowledge receipt of complaints.
- We will contact the complainant to discuss their concerns and desired outcomes, advise of the process for handling the matter and in due course, the outcome.
- The complaint will be investigated and will address the specific issues raised.
- The person handling the complaint will gather and consider relevant information without bias. We will ensure that the person handling a complaint is different from any staff member whose conduct or service is the subject of the complaint.
- If the complaint is of a nature by which an internal investigation may compromise the integrity of the complaint, Knowmore may designate an external person to review the complaint and to give recommendations.
- Personal information that identifies individuals will only be disclosed or used by us as permitted under the relevant privacy laws and relevant client confidentiality obligations.
- Where a complaint involves multiple organisations, we will work with the other organisations where possible, subject to privacy and confidentiality obligations, to ensure that communication with the person making a complaint and/or their representative is clear and coordinated.
- Any action required to resolve the complaint will commence as soon as possible.
- Records of complaints will be recorded in Knowmore’s Complaints Register.
- We will use feedback and complaints to continually improve our organisation. General information about feedback, complaints and related issues may need to be provided to relevant staff, but will be done in a way that does not identify any client or complainant.
- Knowmore recognises the right of clients to approach any organisation which has professional oversight responsibilities involving Knowmore staff and service delivery.