Guidance material

You can make a complaint to IBAC about public officers, including:

• state government employees or bodies (including departments, agencies, public hospitals, public
• schools, universities and TAFEs)
• Victoria Police officers, recruits, protective services officers (PSOs), police custody officers and employees
• local councils including their employees and councillors
• members of Parliament and their employees
• judges, magistrates and other judicial officers.

You can make a complaint to IBAC if you believe that a public officer has engaged in corrupt conduct.

Corrupt conduct can include behaviours such as:

• committing fraud
• taking or offering bribes
• awarding contracts to family or friends
• using or leaking confidential information for
• personal benefit.

Complaints about police personnel conduct can
be made in relation to:

• police officers
• police recruits
• PSOs
• police custody officers
• Victoria Police employees.

Complaints about police personnel conduct can include behaviours such as:

• using excessive force before, during or after an arrest or incident
• sharing images of police evidence on social media
• accessing information in police systems for personal use
• meeting a vulnerable person in the course of their work and inviting them out on a date
• criminal offending.

The key information to include in a complaint is:

• what happened
• when did it happen (for example, date and time)
• where did it happen
• who was involved
• how do I know or assume what happened (did I see or hear it directly myself, did I hear about it from someone else)
• did anyone else witness it/who else knows about it
• any supporting evidence (for example: CCTV, body worn camera, documents)
• has a complaint been made to another body.

It would also assist in assessing your complaint if you can tell IBAC what the key issues (or ‘allegations’) are.

For example:

• 'On 1 January 2023, Mr A asked me to pay him $50 cash if I wanted to stop him issuing me a fine.'
• 'On 27 March 2022, Constable B kicked me in the chest when I was lying down with my arms behind my back when they were arresting me.'
• 'On 17 April 2023, I became aware that a manager at the council was receiving "kick backs" for awarding contracts to their friend’s business.'

The following information can further assist IBAC in assessing a complaint:

• the seriousness of any harm, or potential harm, caused to you or someone else
• whether the conduct will continue if nothing is done
• whether you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, under 18 years or from a non-English speaking background
• whether the conduct is widespread, and who else knows about it
• whether you need any support to make your complaint or understand IBAC’s complaint handling process.

If you need help to submit a complaint, please call IBAC on 1300 735 135 or visit www.ibac.vic.gov.au/accessibility

IBAC will handle the information and personal details it receives carefully, and in accordance with relevant legislation.

Upon receiving a complaint, IBAC will assess it under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 (PID Act). If we decide your complaint is a ‘public interest disclosure’, you will have certain confidentiality protections and obligations under the PID Act.

This is not an assessment of the seriousness of the information provided, or whether the information shared is important to the public or not. This assessment determines whether certain confidentiality requirements and protections should apply.

For more information about protections under the PID Act, please call IBAC on 1300 735 135 or go to the Public Interest Disclosures section of our website.

If you don't want IBAC to assess your matter as a public interest disclosure, you can tell us when you make your complaint (or within 28 days of making the complaint, in writing). This will mean that the matter will not be treated as a public interest disclosure, and you will lose additional protections afforded to you under the PID Act.

Sometimes making a complaint can be stressful or difficult. If you feel you need support, please contact your healthcare provider. Alternatively, you may wish to access one of the support services listed on our website.