We acknowledge the Birpai people, the traditional owners of the land in which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. "What has escalated this? Advertisement Ad Local News She asked Mr Swift McNair if he believed that as a result of the investigations into these complaints "things have got better". We care about the protection of your data. /Info 6 0 R all the different ways you can get in touch with us. E: council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au 49 High Street Wauchope NSW 2446. Our Minister for Local Government should have a look at the complaints, not just in our council and what is going on, but in other councils as well.". Council's around NSW have seen a significant spike in the number of complaints and the cost to deal with them in the past two years. Figures released by the Office of Local Government (OLG) revealed that no complaints had been lodged against Bellingen Council but $64,019 had been spent dealing with Code of Conduct investigations. "After that, I got a five page rambling document that was a record of the matter. Access unlimited content, the digital versions of our print editions - Today's Paper, as well as the Newcastle Herald app. Customer requests are the main reason that customers contact us. Reach our customer service team during business hours, Monday to Friday on (02) 6581 8111. endobj Making a public interest disclosure (whistleblowing), Information in Easy Read and in other languages, Handling public interest disclosures (whistleblowing), PID responsibilities for public authorities, PIDs and the Government Information (Public Access) Act, Subscribe to the public interest disclosures newsletter, Automated decision-making in the public sector, Administrative Law and automated-decision making, Implementing automated decision-making systems, Managing unreasonable conduct by a complainant. Cr Justin Levido, who drew the spotlight on himself at the December council meeting, said the code of conduct procedure is "an absolute disgrace". According to the data, Kempsey Shire Council had five Code of Conduct complaints and spent $1107 investigating, but none of the complaints were found to breach the Code. In some cases we need more information and request you contact us directly in these instances. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. <>stream Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings and refresh the page. Your feedback should be received no later than Friday 20 November 2020. "These 14 complaints have cost us (council) $51,000. >> Learn more. Port Macquarie NSW 2444. If you work for NSW public sector. %PDF-1.7 Find us at one of our customer service centres. Let us know your thoughts on Council's project and activities using our online community engagement hub, Have Your Say. Customer Service. /Size 36 /Prev 53154 Level of crime: 34.81: Low: Crime increasing in the past 3 years: 64.25: High: Worries home broken and things stolen: 34.11: Low: Worries being mugged or robbed: Public Interest disclosures also covers local government, Parliament, and also some private sector operators. Georges River Council spent more than $201,000 investigating 17 complaints of which only three breached the Code. Email Send us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. The new policy also reflects recent changes such as the appointment of an Internal Ombudsman, and the introduction of an Internal Staff Speakup program to strengthen our culture. "There is no doubt that some people use code of conducts as a way to score cheap political points at a significant cost to the council and their community. Search their online public register. As recommended by the NSW Ombudsman, our current complaint policy currently outlines Tiers 1-3 of complaint management but now clearer guidance is given to the different types of complaints and how complaints should be made to ensure we capture information at the first contact which facilitates more efficient resolution. Contact us for any help on browser support. Recently we undertook a significant review of how we deliver service to our customers. Photo: File IT was a $64,000 question that amounted to nothing. While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. College to strengthen focus on opportunity in 2020, Top 10 sporting moments from 2019 around the Hastings, 'Exceptional year': flying fox numbers skyrocket at Port Macquarie camp, Enfield tops the local charge, but not by enough to take out Junior Surf Pro, Surf, skate and music attracts thousands to fundraising festival, Tale of two halves, Pirates brilliant in the first, ordinary in the second, Pop culture characters take centre stage at Cosplay event, 'Clover's Law': Timbertown doubles down on no dog policy after pet's death, Terms and Conditions - Digital Subscription, Terms and Conditions - Newspaper Subscription. IT was a $64,000 question that amounted to nothing. We recognise, promote and protect the rights of individuals or organisations to make a complaint, and will respond to complaints in a timely and confidential manner. If we can't handle your complaint, we'll tell you who can help. Home - Port Macquarie Hastings Council - Logo, If your issue is not listed under any of the above topics, you can still, Type the characters you see in the image below, Connecting to water (Section 305/307 compliance), Works & activities within a public road reserve, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community, Graffiti Management Mural Project - Stage 1 & 2, Building, construction & development forms, hazardous pollution issues (e.g. Port Macquarie Subject: Ordinary Council meeting held on 17/03/2022 - Item 11.04 Policy Review - Customer Complaint Policy - Attachment Draft Customer Complaints Handling Flowchart Keywords: Ordinary Council meeting held on 17/03/2022 - Item 11.04 Policy Review - Customer Complaint Policy - Attachment Draft Customer Complaints Handling . This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters. What happens after you make a complaint. stream Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. ABN: 11 236 901 601 E: council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au Cr Intemann and Cr Geoff Hawkins requested the general manager make a representation to the Department of Local Government to consider strengthening how the code can be formally enforced, as well as how to provide more detail about the complaint so councils can analyse issues raised and put in place corrective measures if necessary. "I consider that money has been taken away from important assets to our community. Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Find out what complaints we can help with. A customer request is when a customer rings or writes or fills out a request online to ask us to do something - like fix a road or ask for us to address some maintenance. Port Macquarie court list. We are committed to seeking and receiving feedback and complaints about our services, systems, practices, procedures, operations and complaint handling. If you are unhappy with the way you've been treated by a NSW Government agency or community service provider, you can make a complaint. If your issue is an EMERGENCY, call us directly on (02) 6581 8111 for issues such as: burst water mains sewerage leak tree fallen over the road hazardous pollution issues (e.g. Port Macquarie-Hastings Council had four complaints and spent investigating $2650; after investigation, none of the complaints were found to have been a breach. Bail granted to Mid North Coast man charged with selling drugs on dark web, Lehrmann defamation cases survive serious challenge, Two arrested during investigation into Gordon Street hit-and-run crash, Be very wary of politicians sounding the youth crime alarm, Police appeal for information following alleged hit-and-run, pursuit, $30m meth stuffed into duffel bags seized in NSW, 'Media frenzy': Why judge kept Lehrmann application secret, 'Beset by tension': Inquiry hears #MeToo movement likely affected Lehrmann case, Elderly pedestrian critical, police searching for Hilux that 'sped off', Terms and Conditions - Digital Subscription, Terms and Conditions - Newspaper Subscription. k9Q4X\NJmF hC1l':nyz"U+A ]L\j>FeT4 o[.HR7 e'N\nB92I@EEi#i 5u-/x,:D1U(2[sjZ:gf)SZ`T+}#K7PRI?djgi[B"M&Q*O^f jhE You can report most issues online. << /Type /XRef /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 109 /W [ 1 2 1 ] /Index [ 7 29 ] . endobj The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Complaints can: You have a right to good services and fair treatment. We can help you make a complaint. 17 Burrawan Street Port Macquarie NSW 2444. 12 0 obj Send us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au, Reach us by posted mail.PO Box 84, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. PO Box 84, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Compare Port Macquarie with: Do you live in Port Macquarie? xc`````z f2 zBEO0} F1a^\*Gk d5H*OxdqdZMU4bs$El"d-MVL[. And you have a right to complain to the Ombudsman if that doesn't happen. endstream These policies are available to download in the document library to the right (or below if viewing this page on a mobile device). Make a call, email us, find the right form or visit the right webpage by clicking the buttons below. The cost in dealing with the complaints rose by 66 per cent in the same period from $958,463 to $1,593,416. Feel free to post community notifications, community events and advertise your business offerings, t Port Macquarie and Surrounds Community Notice Board. Were keen to hear what you think about the following draft policies: Were working on a broader customer experience strategy and your thoughts and opinions about how we can do better will guide our approach. "It's councils and their communities who are counting the cost of an ineffective and inefficient Model Code of Conduct.". Contact us for any help on browser support. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. This is subject to a Judge or Registrars usual discretion to determine that in particular cases, only certain people should be present during the hearing, or that certain people are not to be present during the hearing. Add data for Port Macquarie. For example, a complaint is made if a councillor is accused of finger-pointing or abuse for simply raising a point of order in a meeting, when in fact points of order are allowed. HWAn$7+({=RLv,r%Hv>kyk~v[u=q_b7}.8#_`n\iulGZ2rC'2sACf8Ja-FG,G6>UPmXZ;qAB[OoI(pfI/~cw/">iFB('O2@y" 4_BW%l.?/n{.`h;KW:lTW%ej'D|k')J%LAlp`r'v&,#X K$>lMX;`vyH3~A9A:ERS6Qy%t0 n":kO:% 6xEx9Kg,Ib.1K`vc|K]DyD@S%S2;8=ki zoE*0]J)H Ph: 6581 8111, 17 Burrawan Street stream MidCoast Council had two complaints and spent $0 investigating; ultimately, none of the complaints breached the Code. Access unlimited content, the digital versions of our print editions - Today's Paper, as well as the Newcastle Herald app. Calls received outside of business hours are diverted to our after hours call centre. "If we can't have a de-identified analysis of those complaints we will never understand if those complaints are simply vexatious. "In line with the Procedures for the Administration of the Code of Conduct Part 11, council is required to report annually the total number of code of conduct complaints made about councillors and the general manager under the code of conduct in the year to September," the statement said. This is a robbery of $51,000 of community money by complaints that should never occur in a council, but they have," Cr Pinson said. 9 0 obj This helps us to collect all relevant information in the first instance so that we minimise the time to achieve an outcome or let you know of our decision. Group Manager Customer Experience and Communications, Draft Unreasonable Customer Conduct Policy, Draft Customer Experience Policy (235 KB) (pdf), Draft Customer Complaints Policy (236 KB) (pdf), Draft Unreasonable Customer Conduct Council Policy (129 KB) (pdf), Delivering a customer experience that aligns with customer expectation, Using technology to unlock smarter, more efficient ways of how we deliver services, Building the communitys trust and confidence in us. $1000 a week is spent on this rubbish.". endobj We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. Copyright Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia 2022, Divorce, separation, children, finances and property and other family law matters, The Court can review some decisions made under the Migration Act 1958, Fair work, bankruptcy, admiralty, consumer law, administrative law, human rights, intellectual property, and other matters. I corrected it and advised of what I had actually said. "If we don't know, or can't analyse the inside of these complaints, we will never understand whether what is said is true.". Hearings can be observed by any member of the public. One of them was justified to the extent it has been referred to someone else, one was knocked out at the beginning and 12 more have been investigated and found there was nothing to them," Cr Intemann said. council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au Mail Reach us by posted mail. David Crosbie. You can report most issues online. Ask a question, lodge a service request, report a local issue or provide feedback through an online form. 8 0 obj We review the information you give us and decide what action to take. I gathered there were five complaints and some were about the fact that I spoke in a 'lecturing manner' as I passed criticism on our state and federal members, and that I spoke disrespectfully to the mayor. Coffs Harbour City Council had five complaints and spent $9669 investigating; only one of the complaints was found to breach the Code of Conduct. Ask a question, lodge a service request, report a local issue or provide feedback through an online form. x[hgvmP,i " rX6,+&w\:"wS_6z9b@hyO]K7=EHzshy4]Xii]LBXL#wb-uWr[g#tx,kj,-a]L:j:2eVdO4M QBdL/Ws5l/q68>T"B#WVA -\f1q@#N9K?r9`U@GI,q$X0cD%#=Y#A' There are many benefits of making a complaint and telling someone about your problem. See our latest news, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or subscribe to one of our newsletters. Figures released by the OLG show the number of Code of Conduct complaints rose by 63 per cent from 241 in 2017/18 to 395 in 2019/20. Port Macquarie NSW 2444. "I'm horrified and our community should be too. "Whilst council correctly reported zero complaints made about councillors and the general manager during the reporting period 2019-2020; there was an administrative error regarding the financial data accompanying the report, which should have read zero.". the best way to lodge a complaint or a request for service (which is via our website). Home - Port Macquarie Hastings Council - Logo, Connecting to water (Section 305/307 compliance), Works & activities within a public road reserve, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community, Graffiti Management Mural Project - Stage 1 & 2, Building, construction & development forms. ax3r:=I1T!-ZkJT.gY3t]heS$R6?tXa]_;;_;?4X`j?4X?+\/H_ky|UYlY~vPt>_Z 3A%{{R0 Depending on the complaint, the . Cr Levido asked general manager Craig Swift-McNair directly if he could confirm how many complaints were made against him, the results of any investigations against him as a councillor and whether there had been any breach of his duties identified. The draft Customer Complaints policy will be on exhibition from Wednesday 23 March - Friday 22 April and is available to view in the document library to the right (or below if viewing this page on a mobile device). 9 Laurie Street Laurieton NSW 2443. asbestos, chemicals in water) << /Linearized 1 /L 53399 /H [ 736 147 ] /O 11 /E 50188 /N 1 /T 53153 >> endstream Group Manager Customer Experience, Communications & Corporate Affairs, Draft Customer Complaints Policy (259 KB) (pdf), Customer Complaints Policy (Adopted December 2019) (66.5 KB) (pdf), Complaints handling flowchart (53.7 KB) (pdf), Policy Review - Draft Customer Complaints Policy, how we manage customer complaints and customer requests, the role of our Internal Ombudsman and the availability of internal review if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint and to. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. endstream The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. endstream Part 2: Staff strategies for responding to unreasonable conduct, Part 3: Communication and unreasonable conduct, Part 4: Management responsibilities and supporting staff, Part 5: Restricting and controlling access, Effective complaint management systems workshop, Managing unreasonable conduct by a complainant workshop, Public interest disclosures management training, Supporting young people to make complaints and advocate for systems change workshop, Child Death Review Team / Reviewable Deaths, Submissions to Parliamentary Committees and other bodies, Public Interest Disclosures Annual Reports / PID Steering Committee, Annual reports relating to former functions, Monitor operation of the Mandatory Disease Testing Act, Oversee public interest disclosures (whistleblowing), Email or post this page in social media sites, increase the chance of getting a better outcome, let agencies and service providers know there are problems, and help them improve their services, provide you with an explanation for why something has happened. We are publicly exhibiting the Customer Experience Policy, Customer Complaint Policy and Draft Unreasonable Customer Conduct Policy so that any member of the public can provide feedback on any or all of the policies between Friday, 23 October 2020 to Friday, 20 November 2020. x1`vibTp&08#XI#7L%NOX=~|6{\q}M/_IL)fqqX K Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. "When one council is spending in excess of $200,000 in one year to simply deal with code of conduct complaints, serious questions must be asked," Mr Warren said. We acknowledge the Birpai people, the traditional owners of the land in which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. What are the key differences between the old and new draft policies? A statement issued by Bellingen Shire Council confirmed this had been an administrative error. "What I think is shocking and disgraceful is the process. Mr Swift McNair said no he could not do that because of the confidentiality clause and Cr Levido would only be informed if a breach had occurred. Nambucca Valley Council had one Code of Conduct complaint and spent $120 investigating, however, the complaint was found to not be in breach of the Code. <>>> CfZE-n% And it has raised the ire of some councillors who question the validity of the process and the intent of the complainants. /ID [<90B104942E7EBB43B39C2C74C74D0277><36332D45332D39352D42312D43412D43>] PO Box 84, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Contact a Councillor Find information on our council, and their contact details. We care about the protection of your data. What are the key differences between the old and new draft policies? If the Department of Local Government tells us we can't reveal de-identified information, then we should throw our hands in the air. Send an email to council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au ; or Post your response to Customer Experience Feedback, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. Bellingen Shire Council was listed among councils across the state for expenditure on investigating complaints. "Rr_NGvN"wV}?Tq1m[@b-e?gL!0~\[ 0ILF:.8QN8H$F} R\t]`9ILvg>)0fnym,2P{4:"knhd2~KmKMj?MDM S9HkW=Neb?ZQ841 *}igmRT|"h$R6p 7~'f6^FX' u=kMUg>o7*yKP &O@,jA:oj!9$iK7MI?v`XC_ yc3xqGxz{Z4,~8A phM2,$^v!YK_k>f'$K8_u 0'yr5~1 4!1R-P0VB\;]('q_c!$!vk?.Ig1GZFP>BKHQ3Grvn E_2e#,b\9S8 kmvfJ~7#Xfss@/XHQ]s^0meyi5=oDj9k?QtP1yW/>SK_ {I^S5J"V. /Root 9 0 R Type the characters you see in the image below, Connecting to water (Section 305/307 compliance), Works & activities within a public road reserve, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community, Graffiti Management Mural Project - Stage 1 & 2, Building, construction & development forms. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au. This is subject to a Judge or Registrar's usual discretion to determine that in particular cases, only certain people should be present . Part 1: What is unreasonable conduct by a complainant? <>/PageUIDList<0 211>>/PageWidthList<0 595.276>>>>>>/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/Properties<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0 0 595.276 841.89]/Type/Page>> A step-by-step guide to making a complaint. <> Post your response to Customer Experience Feedback, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. Not to be confused with customer requests, complaints tell us about customer dissatisfaction with either. ,QZ0f`[mlKV 3P`Pff` A 10 0 obj We can help people who have been unfairly treated by community services that are run or funded by the government. breaking and regular headlines newsletters, 'Exceptional year': flying fox numbers skyrocket at Port Macquarie camp, Enfield tops the local charge, but not by enough to take out Junior Surf Pro, Surf, skate and music attracts thousands to fundraising festival, Tale of two halves, Pirates brilliant in the first, ordinary in the second, Pop culture characters take centre stage at Cosplay event, 'Clover's Law': Timbertown doubles down on no dog policy after pet's death, Terms and Conditions - Digital Subscription, Terms and Conditions - Newspaper Subscription. 14 0 obj Confidentiality is important, but seriously I'm not told who lodged the complaint? Read our Privacy Policy. There were 14 complaints in 2018 costing Port Macquarie-Hastings Council $51,000 in investigation fees. [__yp.>c:VNgq38|jg{:^/daG37?KqN\'OwWyO He also asked if council will inform him of the results of any complaints made against him. asbestos, chemicals in water). Ruby Pascoe. Bellingen Shire Council had a clean slate. We care about the protection of your data. the best way to lodge a complaint or a request for service (which is via our website). Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings and refresh the page. Byabarra farmer Steven Gates has lodged a complaint with the Independent Commission Against Corruption against Council over its level of services. 13 0 obj "He wouldn't tell me what the complaints were or who made them. 8^:9may \$V@/]M#Tde)A< XzJ)]MbKe 9d}fLnxXO5uE50,D3CRnoe,3w7ssKtC]lN