Feedback and Complaints

Your feedback, comments and compliments are important - we listen to you, in order to improve the student experience for everyone.

What to do if you are unhappy with something at Melbourne Polytechnic

In many cases, issues and complaints can be resolved at an informal level. Talk to the person involved in the first instance. Often miscommunication and misunderstandings can be resolved early.

Four key steps in complaints resolution

The four key steps Melbourne Polytechnic uses to address Student Complaints and Appeals are as follows:

1. Local-level resolution
Wherever appropriate and applicable, student complaints should be addressed locally through:

• the department, school or service area of Melbourne Polytechnic; or
• the Contractor or Third Party Provider, responsible for delivering the product or service or administering the policy, procedure or process about which the Complaint is made

Note: Melbourne Polytechnic acknowledges that there may be instances where this step is not appropriate or applicable, for example, if a student does not feel comfortable doing so.

2. Written Complaint
If resolution at a local level cannot be achieved or is not appropriate or applicable, you may lodge a Complaint.

• Lodge complaints online - Online Complaints Form
• You will hear from a relevant staff member within 10 working days.

Note: If a complaint is submitted anonymously, it will impact Melbourne Polytechnic's ability to seek further information and to progress the complaint.

3. Request an Internal Appeal
If, after the complaint has been investigated, you are unhappy with the process or outcome of the decision, you can request an internal review of the decision by a senior staff member.

• Send an email to appeals@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au within 10 working days of the date of the decision.

4. Request an External Review
If you are unhappy with the process or outcome of the internal appeal, you can request an external review of the decision by an independent body, appointed by the CE, and paid for by Melbourne Polytechnic.

• Send an email to appeals@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au within 10 working days of the date of the decision.

Information about Lodging a Complaint

If you have a complaint, please try to address your issue through our internal processes, outlined in the following documents on the Policies and Procedures page (under Student Support):

• Student Complaints and Appeals Policy
• Student Complaints and Appeals Procedure

Note: If you have a complaint that involves sexual harassment or complaints involving equal opportunity issues (including harassment and bullying) please refer to our Student Equal Opportunity, Discrimination and Harassment Policy.

You can access our policies here: Policies and Procedures.

Getting Help and Support

You can seek support and assistance throughout the student complaints process from the following sources:

• Teaching staff can provide information about the Student Complaints and Appeals Policy & associated Procedure
• Student Services can give you information and advice about the complaints process
• Counsellors can offer confidential emotional support (our counsellors do not provide legal advice)
• A Support Person can accompany you to any meetings (however, this person does not act as an advocate). This can be a representative from Student Services, a friend or a family member.

Maintaining Confidentiality

• All parties are entitled to confidentiality in a complaints process, and it is important that you do not publicly name the person you have lodged a complaint against.
• Please consult the information in our Student Complaints and Appeals Policy and the associated Student Complaints and Appeals Procedure (see also roles and responsibilities of a Student Complainant, as outlined in Appendix C of the procedure).

You can access our policies and procedure here: Policies and Procedures.

Make a Suggestion or Pay a Compliment

We want to hear from you, so if you have a suggestion or would like to pay us a compliment you can lodge your feedback here:

• Online Suggestion Form
• Online Compliments Form

External Agencies

While we encourage you to use the internal complaints resolution processes offered by Melbourne Polytechnic (as outlined above), students do have the right under relevant legislation to make a complaint to an external or regulatory authority. Here are some of the relevant agencies available to assist students to resolve complaints.