3. Guiding principles

3.1 Facilitate complaints

The diagram below shows how complaints are facilitated.

People focus

NESA are committed to seeking and receiving feedback and complaints about NESA services, systems, practices, procedures, products and complaint handling.

Any concerns raised in feedback or complaints will be dealt with within a reasonable time frame.

People making complaints will be:

• provided with information about our complaint handling process
• provided with multiple and accessible ways to make complaints
• listened to, treated with respect by staff and actively involved in the complaint process where possible and appropriate, and
• provided with reasons for NESA's decisions and any options for redress or review.

No detriment to people making complaints

NESA 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.

Anonymous complaints

NESA will accept anonymous complaints and will carry out an investigation of the issues raised where there is enough information provided.

Accessibility

NESA will ensure that information about how and where complaints may be made to or about NESA is well publicised. NESA will ensure that the systems to manage complaints are easily understood and accessible to everyone, particularly people who may require assistance.

If a person prefers or needs another person or organisation to assist or represent them in the making or resolution of their complaint, we will communicate with them through their representative if this is their wish. Anyone may represent a person wishing to make a complaint with their consent (for example an advocate, family member, legal or community representative, member of Parliament or another organisation).

If you need an interpreter, please contact the translating and interpreting service on 131 450 and ask to be connected to the phone number we provide you with.

No charge

Complaining to us is free.

3.2  Respond to complaints

Early resolution

Where possible, complaints will be resolved at first contact with NESA.

Responsiveness

NESA will promptly acknowledge receipt of complaints. NESA will assess and prioritise complaints in accordance with the urgency or seriousness of the issues raised. If a matter concerns an immediate risk to safety or security the response will be immediate and will be escalated appropriately.

NESA are committed to managing people’s expectations, and will inform them as soon as possible of the following:

• the complaints process
• the expected time frames for NESA's actions, including NESA's response
• the progress of the complaint and reasons for any delay
• the complainant’s likely involvement in the process, and
• the possible or likely outcome of the complaint.

NESA will advise people as soon as possible when unable to deal with any part of their complaint and provide advice about where such issues or complaints may be directed (if known and appropriate).

NESA will also advise people as soon as possible when unable to meet the time frames for responding to their complaint and the reason for the delay.

Objectivity and fairness

NESA will address each complaint with integrity and in an equitable, objective and unbiased manner.

NESA will ensure that the person handling a complaint is different from any staff member whose conduct or service is being complained about.

Conflicts of interests, whether actual or perceived, will be managed responsibly. In particular, internal reviews of how a complaint was managed will be conducted by a person other than the original decision maker.

Responding flexibly

NESA staff are empowered to resolve complaints promptly and with as little formality as possible. NESA will adopt flexible approaches to service delivery and problem solving to enhance accessibility for people making complaints or their representatives.

NESA will assess each complaint on its merits and involve people making complaints or their representative in the process as far as possible.

Confidentiality

NESA will protect the identity of people making complaints where this is practical and appropriate. Personal information that identifies individuals will only be disclosed or used by NESA as permitted under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act), relevant privacy laws, secrecy provisions and any relevant confidentiality obligations.

3.3  Manage the parties to a complaint

Complaints involving multiple agencies

Where a complaint involves multiple organisations, NESA will work with the other organisation or organisations where possible, to ensure that communication with the person making a complaint or their representative is clear and coordinated.

Subject to privacy and confidentiality considerations, communication and information sharing between the parties will also be organised to facilitate a timely response to the complaint.

Where a complaint involves multiple areas within NESA's organisation, responsibility for communicating with the person making the complaint or their representative will also be coordinated.

Where our services are contracted out, NESA expects contracted service providers to have an accessible and comprehensive complaint management system. NESA take complaints not only about the actions of NESA staff but also the actions of service providers.

Complaints involving multiple parties

When similar complaints are made by related parties, NESA will try to arrange to communicate with a single representative of the group.

Empowerment of staff

All staff managing complaints are empowered to implement NESA's complaint management system as relevant to their role and responsibilities. Staff are encouraged to provide feedback on the effectiveness and efficiency of all aspects of our complaint management system.

Managing unreasonable conduct by people making complaints

NESA is committed to being accessible and responsive to all people who approach NESA with feedback or complaints. At the same time NESA's success depends on:

• NESA's ability to do work and perform functions in the most effective and efficient way possible
• the health, safety and security of NESA staff, and
• NESA's ability to allocate resources fairly across all the complaints received.

When people behave unreasonably in their dealings with NESA, their conduct can significantly affect the progress and efficiency of NESA's work. As a result, NESA will take proactive and decisive action to manage any conduct that negatively and unreasonably affects NESA and will support staff to do the same in accordance with this policy.

For further information on managing unreasonable conduct by people making complaints please see the Ombudsman’s managing unreasonable complainant conduct model policy.