Defence Force complaints
What we can help with
Administrative matters, which Defence or Defence agencies have not resolved. This includes:
- Australian Defence Force
- Department of Defence
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Defence Housing Australia.
We can also receive reports of serious abuse within Defence.
This provides a confidential mechanism to report serious abuse for those who feel unable, for whatever reason, to access Defence’s internal mechanisms. You can find out more on our reporting abuse page.
Who can make a complaint
- serving members of the Australian Defence Force
- former members of the Australian Defence Force
- spouses and dependants of members
You can make a complaint about administrative actions taken by Defence relating to or arising from present or past service including:
- a promotion
- a demotion
- discharge
- postings
- housing
- allowances or other matters affecting your service.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, the time taken to resolve the Redress of Grievance, or have not received updates about the progress of your complaint, you can complain to us.
We are not able to investigate complaints about:
- individual honours and awards
- Defence discipline matters, or
- decisions of Ministers, members of parliament, courts and some tribunals.
We cannot investigate complaints from serving members who have not first sought a Redress of Grievance from Defence, unless you are making a report of abuse.
Former members can complain about:
- Veterans’ Affairs benefits
- Compensation
- Defence Service Home Loans
- Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme.
Members of the public can complain about Defence agencies or Australian Defence Force related matters.
Before you make a complaint
You should try to resolve the matter with the relevant agency first, unless you are reporting abuse, in which case there is no need to have reported the matter to Defence before coming to us.
If you are a serving member not making a report of abuse, you must use the Redress of Grievance process first.
If this has not resolved the matter, you may complain to us.
How to make a complaint
You can contact us to make a complaint using our online complaint form, by telephone, in person, in writing or by fax. For more information, see our how to make a complaint page.
If you are making the complaint on behalf of someone else, you will need to complete our Permission for another person to act on my behalf form, and ensure you have their permission to make the complaint.