Other useful contacts
When the complaint or parts of the complaint are not about the way a health or a disability service was provided, you may find one of the following avenues helpful.
If you are needing legal advice
• THE LOCAL COMMUNITY LAW CENTRE
(free legal advice to start)
http://www.communitylaw.org.nz
(or look in the telephone book or ask your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau)
If it is about your personal health records
• THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER
http://www.privacy.org.nz
Free-phone: 0800 803 909
Ph: 09 302 8655
• PRIVACY OFFICER employed by the service
If it is about ACC entitlements or services
• ACC HELPLINE 0800 650 222
• ACC COMPLAINTS SERVICE
complaints@acc.co.nz
If it is a problem with Banking or insurance
• BANKING OMBUDSMAN
Free-phone: 0800 805 950
Ph: 04 471 0006
http://www.bankombudsman.org.nz/
If it is about housing or tenancy
• TENANCY SERVICES
Free-phone: 0800 836 262
It if is about restrictive trade practices
• THE COMMERCE COMMISSION
Free-phone: 0800 94 3600
http://www.comcom.govt.nz
If it is about lawyers
• LAW SOCIETY
Ph: 04 472 7837
http://www.nz-lawsoc.org.nz
If it is about immigration
• RESIDENCE APPEAL AUTHORITY
http://www.residencereviewboard.govt.nz/Pages/Res_Home.aspx
• REFUGEE STATUS APPEALS AUTHORITY
Ph: 09 914 4299
http://www.nzrefugeeappeals.govt.nz/Pages/Ref_Home.aspx
If it is about children
• COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN
Free-phone: 0800 22 44 53
http://www.occ.org.nz/
If it is about shoddy work, defective goods, inadequate services, unreasonable charges for services, or damage to property
• CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Ph: 04 474 2750
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz
• DISPUTES TRIBUNAL
http://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/disputes_tribunals.html
How to take a small claim to the Disputes Tribunal
http://www.howtolaw.co.nz/html/ml086.asp
If it is about employment relations
• LABOUR DEPARTMENT
Free-phone: 0800 20 90 20
http://www.dol.govt.nz
• RELEVANT UNION
If it is about Health and Safety
• OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Free-phone: 0800 20 90 20
http://www.osh.govt.nz/index.htm
If it is about police behaviour
• POLICE COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY
Free-phone: 0800 503-728
http://www.police.govt.nz
If it is about benefits or income
• LOCAL BENEFICIARY ADVICE SERVICE
• BENEFITS REVIEW TRIBUNAL
Work and Income
Free-phone: 0800 559 009
http://www.workandincome.govt.nz
If it is about race issues or discrimination
• HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
Free-phone: 0800 496 877
http://www.hrc.co.nz
If it is about dental fees
• DENTAL ASSOCIATION
Ph: 09 524 2778
http://www.nzda.org.nz
• DENTAL COUNCIL
Ph: 04 499 4820
http://www.dentalcouncil.org.nz/
If it is about medical fees
• MEDICAL COUNCIL
Free-phone: 0800 286 801
http://www.mcnz.org.nz/
If you have complained about a public service or government agency and are unhappy with the response you can ask the Ombudsmen to look into the matter:
• OMBUDSMEN
http://www.ombudsmen.govt.nz
Free-phone 0800 802 602
complaint@ombudsmen.govt.nz
Enquiries: office@ombudsmen.govt.nz
If you want other contact details or general information on where to start, contact your local CITIZENS’ ADVICE BUREAU. Their contact details will be in your telephone book or on their website: http://www.cab.org.nz.