Murdoch University takes complaints seriously and manages complaints professionally. Although we strive for excellence in the way we deal with students, staff and the wider community, there may be times where you are not satisfied with your experience.
The way we manage complaints is published in our policies and procedures and may vary depending upon the type of your complaint.
Students
If your concern relates to you as a student of the University you need to follow our procedures as set out with student complaints.
Staff
If your complaint relates to you as a staff member of the University, you need to follow our human resources and staff related complaint procedures.
Anonymous complaints
Under the Student Complaints Management Procedure, you can submit an anonymous complaint if:
- it is deemed to be of a serious nature.
- it contains or points to good evidence of misconduct, error or some other significant institutional flaw.
- required by law.
Where complaints are submitted anonymously, it may limit the University’s ability to properly investigate the complaint and to inform the student of the outcome of the complaint management process.
Public Interest Disclosures
If your complaint is related to wrongdoing by the University, you may be able to submit a Public Interest Disclosure (PID) under the protection of the PID Act.
Public complaints
Any member of the public can submit a public complaint. Staff and students can also use this process providing the matter is not related to your employment or enrolment at the University.
Before you submit a formal complaint, we recommend you raise your concern with the person or section involved. This provides the parties involved a chance to address your complaint. Many complaints can be resolved without the need to lodge a formal complaint.
If you have been unable to resolve your concern to your satisfaction or you are unable to contact the person or section directly you can lodge a formal complaint in writing via mail or email.
Our complaint process
Our process for handling complaints is written in our Complaints Management Policy and Student Complaints Management Procedure.
After you have submitted a formal complaint you can expect to receive an acknowledgement receipt within five University working days. The University will then aim to resolve your complaint within six weeks.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your formal complaint you can raise your complaint with any relevant external organisation. Western Australian government agencies that investigate complaints include:
- Ombudsman Western Australia for complaints about decision making within the University
- Equal Opportunity Commission for matters relating to discrimination
- Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety for consumer protection related matters
- Public Sector Commission for matters relating to minor misconduct
- Corruption and Crime Commission for matters of serious misconduct.
