Queensland steps closer to a complaints clearinghouse model

• Former District Court judge, Michael Forde has delivered his Queensland Complaints Clearinghouse Governance Project Overview report.
• Mr Forde recommends establishing a complaints clearinghouse by extending the responsibilities of one of Queensland’s integrity bodies.
• The Queensland Government has committed $6.22 million in 2024–25 and established a project team to undertake a foundation stage.

The Miles Government has committed $6.22 million towards undertaking foundational work to establish a complaints clearinghouse, as recommended by the Coaldrake Report.

It comes as Former District Court judge Michael Forde delivered his Queensland Complaints Clearinghouse Governance Project Overview report to government.

In the report, Mr Forde considered design options for a technologically enabled clearinghouse informed by approaches in other jurisdictions, and Queensland’s complaints landscape.

He recommended to extend the responsibilities of one of Queensland’s integrity bodies, providing additional technology and resources, to be implemented.

Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles:

“I want to thank Mr Forde for his independent assessment and recommendations, and his commitment to transparency, accountability, and integrity in government.

“His work will strengthen Queensland’s integrity framework and give Queenslanders greater confidence in how complaints are managed across government.

“My government is serious about this.

“We have carefully considered Mr Forde’s report and will now begin foundational work to progress the next stage of a Queensland Complaints Clearinghouse model.

“That’s why we have committed an initial $6.22 million in the budget to establish a project team.

“We know that this type of significant change will have a cross government and community impact, so it is important that we get this right."

Quotes attributable to Michael Forde:

“This is a large and complex project, and it is important we get this right.

“This is why it is important for government to implement changes in stages to provide an opportunity to review, learn and assess risk for this key integrity reform.

“I commend the Queensland Government for providing funding to further scrutinise the recommended option and undertake a detailed investigation of legislative and other impacts.

“Improving complaints management is an important measure and will have a significant positive impact on how government services are provided to Queenslanders.”

Further Information

Mr Forde considered design options for a technologically enabled clearinghouse.

Based on a review and assessment of models in other jurisdictions, and considering the Queensland complaints landscape, Mr Forde identified three options:

1. extend the responsibilities of one of Queensland’s integrity bodies, providing additional technology and resources
2. extend the existing complaints framework across government using existing technology
3. establish a new complaints management office, supported by technology and resources.

Each option was developed using four design principles:

• be cost-effective and provide value to the complaints management process
• reduce, not increase, current processes and timeframes
• be informed by the complainant, staff and consumer perspectives
• resolve the perspectives and concerns raised in Professor Peter Coaldrake’s Let the sunshine in report.

Using these principles, Mr Forde recommended that the first option, to extend the responsibilities of one of Queensland’s integrity bodies, providing additional technology and resources, be implemented.