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Helpful links
There are a number of organisations in Australia which provide information and assistance to consumers. The list below includes some of these organisations.
A complaint about the content of marketing material can be referred here (for example, if the complaint is that the material is sexist, discriminatory, violent etc). Advertising Standards Board, Level 2/97 Northbourne Avenue, TURNER ACT 2612 Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA) The Asian Ombudsman Association was established in 1996 as a non-governmental, non-political, independent and professional forum for Ombudsmen in Asia.The AOA currently has 23 members from 15 countries. If you are seeking an Ombudsman service in Asia visit www.aoa.org.pk Monitors cash transaction in and out of Australia and administers 100 point system requirements for opening accounts. PO Box 5516, West Chatswood, NSW 1515 | 1800 021 037 | www.austrac.gov.au Australian and New Zealand Ombudsman Association (ANZOA) A professional association for industry-based Ombudsman schemes, State and Commonwealth Parliamentary Ombudsmen and professional services Ombudsmen. Visit the ANZOA website for more information on, and links to, all participating members. Australian Association of Permanent Building Societies (AAPBS) Refers building society complaints but if consumers are not happy with the above company's response they should contact the Small Claims Tribunal. Some building societies in Queensland are covered by the AFC PO Box 9021, Deakin ACT 2600 | 02 6281 1588 | www.aapbs.com.au Australian Bankers Association (ABA) Level 3, 56 Pitt Street, SYDNEY | 02 8298 0417 | www.bankers.asn.au Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Assesses complaints on business practices and provides guidance to both business and consumers on their rights and obligations under the Trade Practices Act and Prices Surveillance Act. 1300 302 502 | www.accc.gov.au Local offices: ACT – 470 Northborne Avenue, DICKSON ACT 2602 (02 6243 1111) NSW – GPO Box 3648, SYDNEY NSW (02 9230 9133) NT – GPO Box 3056, DARWIN NT (08 8943 1499) QLD – PO Box 10048, BRISBANE QLD (07 3835 4666) SA – GPO Box 922, ADELAIDE SA 5001 (08 8213 3444) TAS – GPO Box 1210, HOBART TAS (03 6234 5155) VIC – GPO Box 520J, MELBOURNE VIC (03 9290 1800) WA – Level 3, East Point Plaza, 233 Adelaide Terrace, PERTH WA (08 9325 3622) 57 Carrington Road, Marrickville NSW 2204 | 02 9577 3399 | www.choice.com.au Provides a 'Do Not Contact' service which allows you to add your name to a do not call / mail list. Once your name is added to the lists, ADMA members are obliged to remove you from their mailing lists. Non-members and businesses where you are a current customer are not obliged to remove you from their lists. For more information or to register, contact ADMA at: ADMA Reply Paid 464, Kings Cross NSW 1340 | 1800 646 664 | www.adma.com.au Australian Finance Conference (AFC) GPO Box 1595, SYDNEY NSW 2001 | 1800 231 587 | www.afc.asn.au Australian Guardianship and Administration Council AGAC comprises all Australian State and Territory Public Advocates and Guardians, Public Trustees and Guardianship Boards and Tribunals. The role of AGAC member organisations is to protect adults who have a disability that impairs their capacity to make decisions and manage their affairs. The AGAC website contains information about AGAC and has links to its member organisations’ websites. 03 6233 3085 | www.agac.org.au Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA) Level 24, 25 Bligh Street, SYDNEY | 02 9221 8944 | www.apca.com.au Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) Responsible for promoting prudent behaviour amongst financial institutions. Can provide advice/guidelines regarding the early release of superannuation benefits, but any application must be processed by the superannuation trustee GPO Box 9836, CANBERRA ACT 2601 | 1300 13 10 60 | www.apra.gov.au Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) Regulates and enforces consumer protection laws covering investments, superannuation, insurance and financial advice 1300 300 630 | www.watchdog.asic.gov.au Local offices: ACT – Level 5, 15 London Circuit, CANBERRA ACT (02 6250 3800) NSW – 1 Martin Place, SYDNEY NSW (02 9911 2200) NT – ASIC Information Processing Centre, PO Box 4000, Gippsland Mail Centre VIC 3841 (08 8943 0950) QLD – GPO Box 9827, BRISBANE QLD (07 3867 4700) SA – GPO Box 9827, ADELAIDE SA 5001 (08 8202 8400) TAS – GPO Box 9827, HOBART TAS (1800 066 019) VIC – Level 13, CGU Tower, 485 La Trobe Street, MELBOURNE VIC (03 9280 3200) WA – Level 3, 66 St George's Terrace, PERTH WA (08 9261 4000) Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) PO Box H 224 Australia Square, SYDNEY NSW 1215 | 1300 300 279 | www.asx.com.au Australian Taxation Office (ATO) PO Box 1990, MELBOURNE | 13 28 61 | www.ato.gov.au Information resources for older people, people with disabilities and those who provide care and services. Centres provide free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available in your area. To find the nearest Centre Call: 1800 052 222 Handles complaints about Commonwealth Government departments and authorities, including the Australian Federal Police. The Commonwealth Ombudsman is also the Defence Force Ombudsman, and performs the function of the ACT state Ombudsman 1300 362 072 | www.ombudsman.gov.au Local offices: ACT – GPO 442, CANBERRA ACT (02 6276 0111) NSW – PO Box K825, HAYMARKET NSW 1240 (02 9218 3000) NT – GPO Box 1344, DARWIN NT (08 8999 1818) QLD – GPO Box 3314, BRISBANE QLD (07 3005 7000) SA – Level 5, 50 Grenfell Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000 (08 8226 8616) VIC/TAS – Level 10, 2 Lonsdale Street, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 (03 9654 7355) WA – PO Box Z5386, St George's Terrace PERTH WA (08 9220 7541) ACT – Welfare Rights & Legal Centre NSW – Combined Community Legal Centres Group NSW NT – Darwin Community Legal Service QLD – Refer to Legal Aid Queensland SA – Westside Community Lawyers Inc TAS – Launceston Community Legal Centre VIC – Federation of Community Legal Centres (VIC) Inc Jobwatch (Victoria) Employment Rights Legal Centre, MELBOURNE WA – Community Legal Centres Association ACT – Office of Fair Trading NSW – Department of Fair Trading NT – Office of Consumer Affairs QLD – Office of Fair Trading SA – Office of Consumer & Business Affairs TAS – Office of Consumer Affairs VIC – Consumer Affairs Victoria WA – Consumer Protection Telephone advice to consumers who have legal questions in relation to financial services ACT – Consumer Law Centre of ACT NSW – Consumer Credit Legal Centre TAS – Consumer Credit Hotline VIC – Consumer Action Law Centre WA – Consumer Credit Legal Service Credit Ombudsman Service Limited (COSL) Formerly Mortgage Industry Ombudsman. Handles all complaints regarding Mortgage Industry Association Australia (MIAA) members PO Box A252, SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1235 | 1800 138 422 | www.cosl.com.au Customer Feedback Coordinator, GPO Box 1560P, MELBOURNE VIC 8102 | 03 9805 4444 | 1300 360 060 (For states not listed refer to State Ombudsman except ACT refer to Commonwealth Ombudsman) NSW – Energy & Water Ombudsman (NSW) SA – Electricity Industry Ombudsman TAS – Office of the Electricity Ombudsman VIC – Energy & Water Ombudsman (Victoria) Limited ACT – Human Rights Office NSW – Anti Discrimination Board NSW NT – Anti Discrimination Commission QLD – Anti-Discrimination Commission SA – Equal Opportunity Commission TAS – Anti Discrimination Commissioner VIC – Equal Opportunity Commission WA – Equal Opportunity Commission Call ANZ Customer Liaison: 1800 988 899 Finance Sector Union Of Australia www.fsunion.org.au Financial Ombudsman Services Overseas CANADA: Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments GREECE: Banking Ombudsman NEW ZEALAND: Banking Ombudsman UK: Financial Ombudsman Service Financial Planning Association (FPA) The peak professional organisation representing the financial planning sector in Australia Level 4, 75 Castlereagh Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000 (including: AGC, GE Capital Finance, GE Automotive, Nissan Finance, AVCO Financial Services, Household Finance, Bridge Wholesale Finance, Credit Line) 572 Swan Street Richmond VIC 3121 | 1300 550 006 30th Floor, 570 Bourke Street, MELBOURNE | 1800 136 066 | www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc Private Health Insurance Ombudsman Suite 1201/Level 12 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, SYDNEY | 1800 640 695 | www.phio.org.au Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission GPO Box 5218, SYDNEY NSW 2000 | 1300 369 711 | www.hreoc.gov.au Insolvency & Trustee Services (ITSA) ACT – GPO Box 821, CANBERRA ACT 2601 (02 6270 3600) NSW – Level 8, 135 King Street, SYDNEY NSW 2123 (02 8233 7800) QLD – PO Box 10443, 340 Adelaide Street, BRISBANE QLD (07 3360 5444) SA/NT – GPO Box 2604, ADELAIDE SA 5001 (08 8112 4300) TAS – GPO Box 850, HOBART TAS (03 6221 7777) VIC – Level 10, MELBOURNE CENTRAL VIC (03 9272 4800) WA – GPO Box H 536, PERTH WA 6841 (08 9268 1222) Insurance Council of Australia PO Box R1832, Royal Exchange NSW 1225 | 02 9253 5100 | www.insurancecouncil.com.au Investment & Financial Services Association Limited (IFSA) National not-for-profit organisation representing the retail and wholesale funds management, superannuation and life insurance industries 02 9299 3022 | www.ifsa.com.au VIC – Title Registration Services NSW – Land and Property Management Authority QLD – Dept of Natural Resources and Mines, SA – Land Services WA – Dept of Lands Administration TAS – Land Titles ACT – Land Titles NT – Land Titles Office LawAccess NSW is a free government telephone service that provides legal information, advice and referrals for people who have a legal problem in NSW. The service assists in particular people who live in regional, rural and remote areas of NSW, are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, have a disability, are from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background, are at risk of harm or have an urgent legal problem. 1300 888 529 | www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au ACT – ACT Law Society NSW – NSW Law Society NT – NT Law Society QLD – Queensland Law Society SA – South Australian Law Society TAS – Tasmanian Law Society VIC – Victorian Law Institute WA – West Australian Law Society VIC – Victoria Legal Aid NSW – Legal Aid Commission QLD – Legal Aid Queensland SA – Legal Services Commission WA – Legal Aid Western Australia TAS – Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania ACT – Legal Aid Commission NT – Legal Aid Commission www.complaintline.com.au/legal_practioner ACT – Law Society ACT NSW – Legal Services Commissioner NT – Executive Officer of the Law Society of NT QLD – Director Professional Conduct Law Society Inc SA – Legal Practitioners Conduct Board TAS – The Legal Ombudsman VIC – The Legal Ombudsman WA – Legal Practitioners Complaints Committee Life Line (24 hour support service) 13 11 14 National Toll-free Advocacy Service: 1800 700 600 ACT – Disability, Aged & Carers Advocacy Service NSW – The Aged Care Rights Service QLD – Seniors Enquiry Line SA – Aged Rights Advocacy Service Inc TAS – Advocacy Tasmania Inc VIC – Residential Care Rights WA – Advocare ACT – National Farmers Federation NSW – NSW Farmers' Association NT – NT Cattlemen's Association Inc QLD – Queensland Farmers Federation SA – South Australian Farmers Federation TAS – The Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association VIC – Victorian Farmers Federation WA – The Western Australian Farmers Federation Inc National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) Represents the interests of the insurance broking sector in Australia Level 18, 111 Pacific Highway, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060 | 02 9964 9400 | www.niba.com.au People With Disabilities NSW Inc (PWD) Statewide disability rights and advocacy organisation of and for people with disabilities. PWD offer individual and systemic advocacy in which ensures the full participation and citizenship of people with disabilities within all NSW LGAs. It has been stated that PWD is the primary NSW organisational member of Disability Australia Inc, an equivalent national body, which is in turn, the Australian member of Disabled Peoples International. PO Box 666, STRAWBERRY HILLS NSW 2012 | 02 9319 6622 Member of Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission. Regulates the protection of privacy of personal information held by Government agencies, Tax File Numbers, credit reference agencies and consumer credit information GPO Box 5218, SYDNEY NSW 1042 | 1300 363 992 | www.privacy.gov.au ACT – Supreme Court Probate Office NSW – Supreme Court Probate Registry NT – Supreme Court Probate Registrar QLD – Supreme Court Probate Registry SA – Supreme Court Probate Registry TAS – Registrar, Supreme Court VIC – Supreme Court Probate Registry Office WA – Supreme Court Probate Office Public Advocates And Guardians The Public Advocate promotes the rights and dignity of people with disabilities, to strengthen their position in society and to reduce their exploitation, abuse and neglect. The position of the Public Advocate within the disability community is independent of government, care givers, families and service providers. The Public Advocate seeks to encourage and support people with disabilities and to sustain their case where choices, interests or rights may be prejudiced. ACT – Office of the Community Advocate NSW – Office of the Public Guardianship NT – Office of Public Guardian (DARWIN) NT – Office of Public Guardian (Alice Springs) QLD – Office of the Adult Guardian SA – Office of the Public Advocate TAS – Guardianship and Administration Board WA – Office of the Public Advocate VIC – Office of the Public Advocate Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Supervision of banks at a very high level. Does not supervise interest rate charges or fee charges. GPO Box 3947, SYDNEY NSW 2001 | 1800 300 288 | www.rba.gov.au Small Claims Courts & Tribunals Deal with consumer disputes involving small amounts of money. A small fee is charged for this service. ACT – Small Claims Court NSW – Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal NT – Darwin Magistrates Court QLD – Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) from 1 Dec 2009 SA – Adelaide Magistrates Court TAS – Small Claims Court VIC – Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal WA – Small Claims Tribunal ACT – ACT Ombudsman NSW – NSW Ombudsman NT – Ombudsman of the Northern Territory QLD – Queensland Ombudsman SA – SA Ombudsman TAS – The Office of the Ombudsman VIC – Victorian Ombudsman WA – The Ombudsman ACT – PO Box 293, CIVIC SQUARE ACT 2608 | 02 6207 0028 | www.revenue.act.gov.au NSW – Locked Bag 5661, PARRAMATTA NSW 2124 | 1800 629 550 | www.osr.nsw.gov.au NT – GPO Box 154, DARWIN NT 0801 | 08 8999 7949 | www.revenue.nt.gov.au QLD – GPO 2593, BRISBANE QLD 4001 | 1300 300 734 | www.osr.qld.gov.au SA – GPO Box 1353, ADELAIDE SA 5000 | 1800 637 778 | www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au TAS – GPO Box 1374, HOBART TAS 7001 | 1800 001 388 | www.treasury.tas.gov.au/tax VIC – GPO Box 1641N, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 | 132 161 | www.sro.vic.gov.au WA – GPO Box T1600, PERTH WA 6845 | 1300 368 364 | www.srd.wa.gov.au NSW – GPO Box 7, SYDNEY NSW 1005 | 02 9252 0523 | www.pt.nsw.gov.au QLD – GPO Box 1449, BRISBANE QLD 4001 | 07 3213 9288 | www.pt.qld.gov.au SA – GPO Box 1338, ADELAIDE SA 5001 | 1800 673 119 | www.publictrustee.sa.on.net TAS – GPO Box 1565, Hobart TAS 7001 | 1800 068 784 | www.publictrustee.tas.gov.au VIC – GPO 1461N, MELBOURNE VIC 3001 | 1300 138 672 | www.statetrustees.com.au WA – GPO Box M946, PERTH WA 6843 | 1800 642 777 | www.justice.wa.gov.au Superannuation Complaints Tribunal (SCT) Complaints and enquiries regarding decisions made by superannuation trustees, insurers, retirement savings account providers, annuity policies and other accounts related to regulated superannuation funds Locked Bag 3060, MELBOURNE VIC 3001 | 1300 78 08 08 | www.sct.gov.au Telecommuncations Industry Ombudsman (TIO) PO Box 276, Collins Street West, MELBOURNE VIC | 1800 062 058 | www.tio.com.au Records are kept for savings banks from 1989 onwards and trading banks from 1979 onwards Financial Services Unit, ASIC, GPO Box 9827, BRISBANE | 1300 301 198 | www.fido.asic.gov.au Formerly known as Baycorp Advantage, Credit Advantage Limited (CAL) and the Credit Reference Association of Australia (CRAA) PO Box 964, NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059 | 02 9464 6000 | www.vedaadvantage.com Western Union Financial Services PO Box Q1522, QVB Post Office, SYDNEY NSW 1230 | 1800 173 833 ACT – Women's Information Referral Centre: 02 6205 1075 | www.act.gov.au/womensinfo NSW – Women's Information Referral Service: 1800 817 227 NT – Women's InfoNet: 1800 813 631 QLD – Women's Info Link: 1800 177 577 SA – Women's Information Service: 1800 188 158 | www.wis.sa.gov.au TAS – Women Tasmania: 1800 813 631 VIC – Women's Information Referral Exchange: 1300 134 130 | www.wire.org.au WA – Women's Information Service: 1800 199 174 Provides information and advice regarding workcover and worker's compensation for employees and employers. Aids employees who have disputes against worker's compensation insurance. ACT – WorkCover: 02 6205 0200 | www.workcover.act.gov.au NSW – WorkCover Information Centre: 13 10 50 | www.workcover.nsw.gov.au NT – WorkSafe: 1800 019 155 | www.worksafe.nt.gov.au QLD – WorkCover: 1300 362 128 | www.workcover.qld.gov.au SA – WorkCover Corporation: 13 18 55 | www.workcover.sa.gov.au TAS – WorkCover: 1300 366 322 | www.workcover.tas.gov.au VIC – WorkCover Authority: 1800 136 089 | www.workcover.vic.gov.au WA – WorkCover: 1800 670 055 | www.workcover.wa.gov.au |