"It's councils and their communities who are counting the cost of an ineffective and inefficient Model Code of Conduct.". 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. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Enter your search term and click on Apply to see results, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Courts: Find out how our services are being delivered and how you can access them. 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. zBEO0} F1a^\*Gk d5H*OxdqdZMU4bs$El"d-MVL[. Ruby Pascoe. 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. In 2016 and 2017, there were no code of conduct complaints for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. 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. Your feedback should be received no later than Friday 20 November 2020. "Three months ago, I got a phone call from a gentleman telling me he was in investigator appointed by council to investigate complaints for breaching the code of conduct. Photo: File IT was a $64,000 question that amounted to nothing. endstream She asked Mr Swift McNair if he believed that as a result of the investigations into these complaints "things have got better". Compare Port Macquarie with: Do you live in Port Macquarie? We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. /Root 9 0 R Ph: 6581 8111, 17 Burrawan Street "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. I don't know who lodged them (the complaints) or what is going on. "A lot of time, effort and expense goes into investigating these complaints but the reality is the investigation often results in very little action taken. 7 0 obj "If we don't know, or can't analyse the inside of these complaints, we will never understand whether what is said is true.". Two arrested during investigation into Gordon Street hit-and-run crash. HWK719VUzf!>!vJ-f{,C?V=U&eq;%'^NTFM23wFd:'YauL'wo7)q&MYwUmDmI'U.~>{rS5!ll&8/>#u1HVQ;eV%"4+k,ZmIa7yc/1;ccsA~W7"$stdbsg{q"(1N9*!? Public Interest disclosures also covers local government, Parliament, and also some private sector operators. /ID [<90B104942E7EBB43B39C2C74C74D0277><36332D45332D39352D42312D43412D43>] endobj If you look objectively at the process they (ratepayers) would be shocked at what went on. Find us at one of our customer service centres. /Size 36 /Prev 53154 There were 14 complaints in 2018 costing Port Macquarie-Hastings Council $51,000 in investigation fees. Kempsey Shire Council, Nambucca Valley Council, Coffs Harbour City Council, MidCoast Council and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council all had at least one complaint. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings and refresh the page. endobj Learn more. 12 0 obj "What has escalated this? 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. endstream We care about the protection of your data. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Byabarra farmer Steven Gates has lodged a complaint with the Independent Commission Against Corruption against Council over its level of services. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. MidCoast Council had two complaints and spent $0 investigating; ultimately, none of the complaints breached the Code. 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. 8^:9may \$V@/]M#Tde)A< XzJ)]MbKe 9d}fLnxXO5uE50,D3CRnoe,3w7ssKtC]lN "These 14 complaints have cost us (council) $51,000. council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au Mail Reach us by posted mail. 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. <> Georges River Council spent more than $201,000 investigating 17 complaints of which only three breached the Code. Reach our customer service team during business hours, Monday to Friday on (02) 6581 8111. A step-by-step guide to making a complaint. xc`````z f2 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 . endobj Ask a question, lodge a service request, report a local issue or provide feedback through an online form. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. % 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. >> Customer Service. Nobody has come back and told me the result of that. We live in an environment where anonymous people can make complaints - what can you do about it. 14 0 obj Confidentiality is important, but seriously I'm not told who lodged the complaint? endstream 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. Lismore Council recorded the most complaints with 52 recorded costing $82,614 in investigation costs, resulting in two breaches of the Code. We acknowledge the Birpai people, the traditional owners of the land in which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Bellingen Shire Council was listed among councils across the state for expenditure on investigating complaints. :5m x <2>(|m!,..NO1yr?FI ShV0CR6!pgKS@:nki`J_\ec"qJ|qMQpq]@0AnxA0WF \=9}H!c|U'heuNV=02XB,S%1 oz Y$FK),k&%A6Z$'v1:+KN+sUu9~P8)#/gp$5cT78q( }_cY3SZBi&bei4Er8Amb\,"Lt[PQk.^kP{c8>&wK:EA05%WUMdsgdPk% /hXeM.J6Vh_r""8T"f04j1SyTbwYc5Q4%6zsV2n1kd %'|gE{5Wwk_lSFeAg6?QLW(Wg.S^tS!`!~sTtg^o{.Q\ [y!R.1$YS!yGIg We are committed to seeking and receiving feedback and complaints about our services, systems, practices, procedures, operations and complaint handling. According to the data, Kempsey Shire Council had five Code of Conduct complaints and spent $1107 investigating, but none of the complaints were found to breach the Code. You can report most issues online. Our Minister for Local Government should have a look at the complaints, not just in our council and what is going on, but in other councils as well.". endobj Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. Some content on this page may not display correctly. We can help you make a complaint. Some content on this page may not display correctly. ax3r:=I1T!-ZkJT.gY3t]heS$R6?tXa]_;;_;?4X`j?4X?+\/H_ky|UYlY~vPt>_Z 3A%{{R0 PO Box 84, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. endobj Access unlimited content, the digital versions of our print editions - Today's Paper, as well as the Newcastle Herald app. David Crosbie. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. 11 0 obj For the latest COVID-19 news, updates and advice from the Australian Government, visit Australia.gov.au, Street Address: Port Macquarie Local Court, 22-26 Murray Street, Port Macquarie, Phone: 1300 352 000 (National Enquiry Centre). 17 Burrawan Street Port Macquarie NSW 2444. The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. all the different ways you can get in touch with us. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. Post your response to Customer Experience Feedback, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. 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. %PDF-1.7 Office of Local Government release Model Code of Conduct complaints investigations costs November 17 2021 - 3:00pm Council's all around NSW have seen a significant spike in the number of complaints and the cost to deal with them in the past two years. Hearings can be observed by any member of the public. endobj While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. Access unlimited content, the digital versions of our print editions - Today's Paper, as well as the Newcastle Herald app. "I consider that money has been taken away from important assets to our community. endobj Home - Port Macquarie Hastings Council - Logo. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Be very wary of politicians sounding the youth crime alarm. 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. The new policy has new sections which detail the policy Principles, Responsibilities and now includes a Flowchart which depicts what happens we we receive a complaint and how it is managed. 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. HW[6Sc1r gndA%|l qX? Details of all registered JP's in our region can be accessed via the NSW Communities & Justice website. Contact us for any help on browser support. Make a call, email us, find the right form or visit the right webpage by clicking the buttons below. . A Byabarra farmer has taken his complaints against Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's handling of its unsealed road network to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Make a call, email us, find the right form or visit the right webpage by clicking the buttons below. asbestos, chemicals in water) 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. Send an email to council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au ; or Post your response to Customer Experience Feedback, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. "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. )N}R%$LtE^z4;{zUn(qmkR\1ZAEDy4.*5 And you have a right to complain to the Ombudsman if that doesn't happen. stream 9 Laurie Street Laurieton NSW 2443. These policies are available to download in the document library to the right (or below if viewing this page on a mobile device). We review the information you give us and decide what action to take. Feel free to post community notifications, community events and advertise your business offerings, t Port Macquarie and Surrounds Community Notice Board. What are the key differences between the old and new draft policies? x[hgvmP,i " rX6,+&w\:"wS_6z9b@hyO]K7=EHzshy4]Xii]LBXL#wb-uWr[g#tx,kj,-a]L:j:2eVdO4M QBdL/Ws5l/q68>T"B#WVA -\f1q@#N9K?r9`U@GI,q$X0cD%#=Y#A' Cr Justin Levido, who drew the spotlight on himself at the December council meeting, said the code of conduct procedure is "an absolute disgrace". Port Macquarie NSW 2444. Find out what complaints we can help with. Mayor Peta Pinson also requested the general manager provide the code of conduct complaint statistics since 2016 to the Minister for Local Government. IN the last two years, code of conduct complaints against council and councillors have cost Port Macquarie-Hastings ratepayers more than $51,000 in investigation expenses. If we can't handle your complaint, we'll tell you who can help. We support people with disability, Aboriginal peoples and have information in easy English and other languages. Part 1: What is unreasonable conduct by a complainant? [__yp.>c:VNgq38|jg{:^/daG37?KqN\'OwWyO 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. In some cases we need more information and request you contact us directly in these instances. Recently we undertook a significant review of how we deliver service to our customers. If your issue is an EMERGENCY,call us directly on (02) 6581 8111for issues such as: E: council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. See our latest news, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or subscribe to one of our newsletters. What happens after you make a complaint. 9 0 obj 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. There are many benefits of making a complaint and telling someone about your problem. Phone: 1300 352 000 (National Enquiry Centre) Hearings can be observed by any member of the public. Find information on our council, and their contact details. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. 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. 8 0 obj Ph: 6581 8111, 17 Burrawan Street Let us know your thoughts on Council's project and activities using our online community engagement hub, Have Your Say. 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. Index; Crime Index: 36.13: Safety Index: 63.87: Crime rates in Port Macquarie, Australia. 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. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders, past, present and emerging. "After that, I got a five page rambling document that was a record of the matter. A further report will be tabled at a future meeting of Council, detailing the submissions received from the public during the exhibition period. the best way to lodge a complaint or a request for service (which is via our website). You have a right to complain about the services you get. Email Send us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. 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). He also asked if council will inform him of the results of any complaints made against him. "What I think is shocking and disgraceful is the process. We are working hard to be better at: A key step in this is updating the policies that govern how we deliver service to our customers and how we respond to complaints. Find out what to do and what information you'll need to provide. Deputy mayor Cr Lisa Intemann said if there is no way to "de-identify" information without breaching the confidentiality clause of the code, then there is also no way of putting in place corrective measures to improve behaviour; or even determine if a person, or a group of people, are simply making spurious claims against a councillor. "If you look objectively at the process they (ratepayers) would be shocked at what went on," Cr Levido said. << /Type /XRef /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 109 /W [ 1 2 1 ] /Index [ 7 29 ] Read our Privacy Policy. Depending on the complaint, the . 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. 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. Hd5(8p6asnh3;6rc^UgX IbYY"b hm$#%&Fbkao21v2q>V"[5feGG>:0E&i9Q[ao 4)-)GAx^adehd@ ge%){MS?,8gdu`A=~8skq%fG8qp0G^4z/K=A|64QJGAuXhz4qb6.=GLp~{b'auM]4[uX="^f&*p$ZEW7i |R?D M4zC>{kh'n8xWRqG@j Otu0\AadS4F6pdb{aGFt p\, Kc5m'n4V <>stream If the Department of Local Government tells us we can't reveal de-identified information, then we should throw our hands in the air. We can help with rate payments, reporting waste and graffiti, permits and notifications, Council papers, and many other council services. 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. Complaints can: increase the chance of getting a better outcome help others in similar situations 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. "I agree with Cr Levido that in the great majority of cases complaints come from the community and not councillors and that there must be something done to make this a more reasonable and lawful process," Cr Intemann said. Contact us for any help on browser support. Ph: 6581 8111, 17 Burrawan Street /Info 6 0 R ,QZ0f`[mlKV 3P`Pff` A 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. 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 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. <>stream <>/PageUIDList<0 211>>/PageWidthList<0 595.276>>>>>>/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/Properties<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0 0 595.276 841.89]/Type/Page>> Not to be confused with customer requests, complaints tell us about customer dissatisfaction with either. CfZE-n% Port Macquarie NSW 2444. $1000 a week is spent on this rubbish.". Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. 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. 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. 4 talking about this. 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. 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. 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. Police appeal for . This is subject to a Judge or Registrar's usual discretion to determine that in particular cases, only certain people should be present . We can help people who have been unfairly treated by community services that are run or funded by the government. Calls received outside of business hours are diverted to our after hours call centre. 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. PO Box 84, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Contact a Councillor Find information on our council, and their contact details. Opinion. We're here to help! PO Box 84, Port Macquarie NSW 2444. If you work for NSW public sector. Advertisement Ad Local News 13 0 obj 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: Ask a question, lodge a service request, report a local issue or provide feedback through an online form. "I'm horrified and our community should be too. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, SIGN UP HERE. We have reviewed our Customer Complaints Policy to make sure we are clearly communicating: 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. Port Macquarie NSW 2444. There are many benefits of making a complaint and telling someone about your problem. <>stream endstream You can report most issues online. "If we can't have a de-identified analysis of those complaints we will never understand if those complaints are simply vexatious. E: council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au Read our Privacy Policy. The cost in dealing with the complaints rose by 66 per cent in the same period from $958,463 to $1,593,416. E: council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au Read our Privacy Policy. In some cases we need more information and request you contact us directly in these instances. ?.ArOqKc+]'5qTe)?x "He wouldn't tell me what the complaints were or who made them. Coffs Harbour City Council had five complaints and spent $9669 investigating; only one of the complaints was found to breach the Code of Conduct. 49 High Street Wauchope NSW 2446. We care about the protection of your data. "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 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. <>>> << /Linearized 1 /L 53399 /H [ 736 147 ] /O 11 /E 50188 /N 1 /T 53153 >> IT was a $64,000 question that amounted to nothing. Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has announced further workplace reform changes with firebrand CEO Clare Allen appointing new internal ombudsman to the team.
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