AHANA understands that it can be a difficult and also a deeply personal decision whether to lodge a complaint. You can seek informal advice about your matter by contacting AHANA.
Before making a complaint to AHANA, you should review “Who can I make a complaint about?” and “What can I make a complaint about?” below on this webpage, to make sure that the conduct you are concerned about is covered by the Complaints Procedure.
If you decide to proceed with a complaint, it must be either:
Emailed to admin@ahana.com.au (please include the word “Complaint” in the subject line); or
Provided in writing to AHANA’s registered address:
Level 8, 'The Annex',
12 Creek Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Email is preferred, so we receive your complaint as soon as possible, but if you decide to submit a complaint by post please send via registered post.
If you make a complaint, AHANA cannot guarantee that you will be kept anonymous. For example, if you make a complaint about an AHA you received services from and the complaint is then investigated or considered by the Complaints Committee, the AHA will be provided a copy of the complaint to enable them to respond to it.
If you decide to raise a complaint under the Complaints Procedure, you have the right to withdraw your complaint at any time, but AHANA may still decide to investigate or take some other action on the complaint.
If AHANA is concerned that the conduct you have complained about may amount to criminal conduct, AHANA will refer the matter to the police or other appropriate body. AHANA may choose not to proceed with processing the complaint until there is an outcome from that referral.
AHANA also may share details of the complaint with any person or organisation (e.g. employer of the AHA), even before the outcome of the complaint, if it is concerned that this is reasonably necessary for the protection of the public.
Any person can make a complaint about an AHA who is a:
AHAs who do not fall into one of the above categories are not covered by the AHANA Complaints Procedure. Sometimes, there are external complaints bodies to which complaints about AHAs can be referred. In other cases, there may not be and the best place to raise the concern is with the employer. If you make a complaint with AHANA, AHANA will support you to find the best organisation to make the complaint to (whether or not it is covered by AHANA’s Complaints Procedure).
Complaints about Student Members that are made to AHANA will be referred to the Student Member’s educational institute.
AHANA can accept complaints about AHAs covered by the Complaints Procedure (as outlined above under “Who can I make a complaint about?”) where you are concerned that the AHA has:
Complaints may be handled informally (with or without the involvement of the AHA complained about), or formally with an investigation by the Complaints Officer, and may proceed to consideration by the Complaints Committee.
AHANA may also decide not to progress a complaint which:
AHANA will keep you informed of the progress of your complaint and notify you of the outcome of your complaint.
If the Complaints Committee convened to hear the complaint, you have the right to attend the meeting provided you notify in advance within the timeline you are provided to advise AHANA of that. The AHA you complain about will also have that opportunity. You can also have legal representation attend that hearing, at your cost, provided you provide notice of that decision within the timeline required.
Throughout all aspects of processing the complaint, AHANA and decision makers under the Complaints Procedure may request further information from you and/or the AHA you have complained about.
If the complaint is considered by the Complaints Committee and the Committee decides your complaint is upheld, the Board will make the decision on whether to impose disciplinary or other action on the AHA.
The AHA has the right to appeal a decision involving disciplinary action, or if they believe procedural fairness and natural justice were not met. The Appeal Panel convened to hear an appeal may or may not request further information from you or offer you the opportunity to attend.
The Appeal Panel does not consider whether the disciplinary or other action imposed by the Board is appropriate. The Appeal Panel only considers whether the complaint is upheld, or whether procedural fairness and natural justice were appropriately provided.
The Appeal Panel can substitute or affirm the decision of the Complaints Committee, based on the Appeal Panel’s findings.
Any disciplinary or other action imposed by the Board will not take effect until the timeframe provided to the AHA to appeal the decision has expired or, if the AHA appeals the decision, the Appeal Panel decides to uphold the complaint.
Where a complaint is upheld, AHANA may publish the outcome of a complaint on the AHANA website. You will not be named. Where AHANA is aware an external agency relies on the AHAs membership with or recognition by AHANA for eligibility to work, AHANA will inform the agency.