At the BPC, we are committed to providing the highest quality regulatory services to the Victorian public and building and plumbing industries. We are constantly striving to improve our service standards, in order to meet the expectations of the community we protect and the practitioners we regulate.
We welcome complaints and feedback about our policies and processes, the actions and conduct of its staff, overall service standards and handling of complaints. We aim to consider all complaints about us that can improve the quality of services we provide, to best serve the community and industry.
See below for information about the types of complaints we can and cannot consider, and how to lodge a complaint with us or for an integrity or public interest complaint.
Holding us to account
We are proud of our ethical standards and are committed to the highest standards of public service in regulating the building and plumbing industries. However, every organisation is susceptible to fraud and corruption.
We do not tolerate fraud, corruption, or improper conduct, and any employee engaging in this conduct will be held to account with potential responses including disciplinary action, referral to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), and making a report to Victoria Police.
BPC employees, consumers and anyone in the building and plumbing industries are encouraged to make disclosures of misconduct if they believe someone at the BPC is carrying out fraud or corruption.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 (the Act) helps people to make disclosures of improper conduct by public officers and public bodies and provides protection to people who make disclosures. The Act sets out a system for the disclosed matters to be investigated and enables rectifying action to be taken.
Every credible allegation is investigated, and we will cooperate fully with any investigations or enquiries by IBAC or the Victorian Ombudsman.
Before you make your complaint
Before lodging your complaint here, we ask that you first try and address it with the team or individual handling your matter. You should clearly explain to them what your complaint is about and your desired outcome.
You should raise your complaint in writing by directing it to the team or individual who you have been in contact with already.
After first trying to resolve your complaint, if you have not received a response within a reasonable period of time, or otherwise continue to remain dissatisfied, then you can escalate your complaint here.
We accept unresolved complaints about the BPC’s policies and processes, the actions and conduct of its staff, overall service standards and handling of complaints. If your complaint is not about any of these then it cannot be escalated here.
The BPC cannot address the following types of escalated complaints:
Freedom of information decisions
If you have a complaint about a specific freedom of information request or decision, you can make an application to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner. Information about how to make an application with OVIC can be found in the decision letter you receive.
If you raise a complaint about a specific freedom of information request or decision with the BPC, we will not respond to you as all of the information you need is provided here.
Note: If you have a complaint about the freedom of information process generally, not about a specific request or decision, then you can escalate your complaint here.
BPC decisions
If you have a complaint about a decision made by the BPC pursuant to its statutory functions under the Building Act 1993 and/or regulations, you must submit this to the Victorian Ombudsman as the BPC cannot address these types of complaints.
At the BPC, we are proud of our ethical standards, and we are committed to the highest standards of public service in regulating the building and plumbing industries. However, every organisation is susceptible to fraud and corruption.
BPC employees, consumers and anyone in the building and plumbing industries are encouraged to make disclosures of misconduct if they believe someone at the BPC is carrying out fraud or corruption.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 (the Act) helps people to make disclosures of improper conduct by public officers and public bodies and provides protection to people who make disclosures. The Act sets out a system for the disclosed matters to be investigated and enables rectifying action to be taken.
The BPC will work collaboratively with Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) to ensure that any person who makes a disclosure is protected. Any allegations that someone has suffered reprisals from a BPC employee for making a disclosure will be reported to IBAC. We will take disciplinary action if an allegation is substantiated.
See below for how to make an integrity or public interest disclosure.
Fraud is a dishonest activity that, in this context, is directed at us by someone outside the organisation. An example is someone who provides a falsified document.
Corrupt conduct is defined in the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Act 2011 (IBAC Act) and includes:
Taking or offering bribes
Dishonestly using influence
Theft or embezzlement
Misusing work information or material
Conspire or attempt to do any of the above.
Improper conduct is defined in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012 (PID Act) and must be either criminal or other conduct specified under the Act. Examples include:
Serious professional misconduct
Intentional or reckless breach of public trust
Conduct adversely affecting the honest performance of a public officer.
Detrimental action is also defined in the PID Act and includes harassment or discrimination, or other adverse action taken against a person in reprisal for having reported improper or corrupt conduct.
Please note that fraud, improper, or corrupt conduct must involve us. For example, allegations of fraud against a practitioner would not fall into one of these categories.
Our people
Our people are thoroughly trained in their obligations under our Code of Conduct, our integrity policies, and business rules. They will:
Report any attempt to have them act improperly
Remove themselves from dealings with family, friends or past professional networks
Refuse offers of gifts or hospitality
Keep information confidential except for lawful purposes
Refrain from business or secondary employment in the industries we regulate.
Practitioners and consumers
Any suggestion that you are offering a bribe to our people will be reported to IBAC and may be reported to Victoria Police. We may also act ourselves using our regulatory powers. We will not accept any subsequent attempt to walk back such comments once they are made.
We also have no tolerance for criminal behaviour by practitioners, the public, or other people we deal with. If you provide us with fraudulent documents or false information, we may notify IBAC, Victoria Police, or take regulatory action. Attempts to threaten or intimidate our people may be similarly reported.
See below for how to make an integrity or public interest disclosure.
Making your complaint
It is best to make your complaint in writing as it means we will have a record of it, when it was received and how long it has taken for us to respond.
To ensure your complaint can be handled as efficiently as possible, we suggest that you provide only the necessary information and details; such as any reference numbers, dates and names of individuals relevant to your matter, as well as your desired outcome.
We do not accept complaints lodged verbally and ask that you please submit your complaint in writing to the above nominated email address. If you are concerned about this, you can email us with your name and contact number and we will endeavour to call you to discuss your concerns.
Anonymous complaints
We welcome all complaints, including from those who may wish to remain anonymous. Unless there is sufficient detail provided about the complaint, we may not always be able to fully assess the concerns.
We are not able to respond to an anonymous complaint for which no contact details exist.
Your information and privacy
We will use the information you have provided to address and respond to your complaint, including your personal information. Information relating to a complaint, including personal information, will be used and disclosed under relevant laws, including privacy and freedom of information laws.
More information about how we manage your personal information can be found in the Privacy Policy.
To effectively manage your complaint, your information may need to be shared with the team or person your complaint is about, and others who may assist you with appropriately addressing your complaint, such as relevant subject matter experts.
We may need to collect further information from you to better understand your complaint. If you do not provide this information, We will determine whether it can proceed or if the complaint should be closed.
How we will communicate with you
We will acknowledge receiving your complaint either by telephone or in writing. You will be provided with the contact details of the team or individual who is managing your complaint.
We will provide updates to you as they arise. If you have not heard from us, this means that there is no new information or updates to share with you for the time being.
Complaint outcomes
We endeavour to respond to most complaints within 30 days, or 45 days for more complex matters. Where a response is likely to take longer than this, you will be informed of why and when a response may be expected.
We will provide a written outcome letter to your complaint, clearly explaining the decision and reasons. If you have ongoing concerns about the written outcome letter you receive, you can escalate your complaint externally.
If you remain dissatisfied after having your complaint addressed, you may wish to escalate your concerns externally to the appropriate agency, listed below:
Victorian Ombudsman (phone: 1800 806 314)
Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (phone: 1300 006 842)
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (phone: 1300 292 153)
We are committed to addressing complaints as fairly and efficiently as possible. We recognise that people using our services have diverse backgrounds and needs. We also recognise they will sometimes be angry, frustrated or distressed or act in other ways we may find challenging.
We commit to ensuring our staff are adequately equipped to be able to handle complaints and challenging stakeholders. We also commit to providing a safe and healthy workplace and for this reason have zero tolerance for unreasonable behaviour. We expect our officers to treat people with courtesy and respect, and in turn expect the same from you. We do not tolerate behaviour that is offensive, abusive, threatening, intimidating, belittling or that consumes disproportionate resources.
If such behaviours are exhibited towards us, we may choose to no longer handle your complaint, or may take steps to limit your contact and communications with us while we manage your complaint.
Public Interest Disclosure
You can report corruption, improper conduct, or detrimental action to IBAC or the Ombudsman under the PID Act. This Act is designed to make the public sector more open and accountable, by encouraging people to make disclosures and providing protections against you. The IBAC website contains more information about PIDs and reports can be made to:
IBAC assesses all reports to determine whether they meet the requirements for a PID and, if so, how the disclosure will be followed up.
Reporting
You can report fraud direct to our Integrity Unit or to our independently operated reporting hub, Safe2Speak.
We encourage you to report corruption, improper conduct, or detrimental action to IBAC, however, you can choose to lodge your report with us. Please note that reports to us will not attract the PID Act’s protections against detrimental action.
