Our Complaints Officer is Anna Catelli.
The Responsible Entity has appointed solicitor Anna Catelli, B Juris., LLB., Dip Ed., as its Complaints Officer. The Complaints Officer will be instructed to deal with any expression of dissatisfaction with the service offered or provided by the Responsible Entity as follows:
- the Complaints Officer or other person who received the Complaint acknowledges the Complaint promptly within 7 days of its receipt;
- the Complaints Officer notes the Complainant's details, including contact details, and the specifics of the Complaint and files that information in a Complaints file.
- the Complaints Officer explains the Complaint handling procedures to the Complainant;
- in the case of Complaints that do not require investigation, the Complaints Officer deals with or otherwise resolves the Complaint immediately or expeditiously, and enters details of resolution into the Complaints file; and
- where appropriate, the Complaints Officer communicates with the Complainant to ensure that the Complainant remains satisfied.
If the Complaint requires investigation or for some other reason is unable to be so resolved by the Complaints Officer immediately or expeditiously:
- within 14 days of receipt of any Complaint, the Complaints Officer is to:
- provide written confirmation to the Complainant that the Complaint is being investigated in detail;
- invite the Complainant to provide any further documentation, information or other materials or details the Complainant may have regarding the Complaint;
- inform the Complainant that the Complainant will receive a response to its Complaint within 28 days of the date of the Complaint.
- within 21 days of receipt of any Complaint, the Complaints Officer is to conduct a thorough investigation of the Complaint, to properly consider the Complaint and to prepare a report detailing:
- the nature of the Complaint;
- the services or business practices about which the Complaint is made;
- the basis for the Complaint;
- results of the investigation; and
- a recommendation for action,
and deliver that report to the Managing Director of the Responsible Entity.
- within 28 days of the Complaint being made, the Managing Director of the Responsible Entity is to review the report provided by the Complaints Officer and decide as to an appropriate course of action.
- Once the Managing Director has reached a decision in relation to the Complaint that decision is to be provided to the Complainant together with the reasons for the decision within 28 days of the Complaint initially being lodged and a copy thereof is to be added to information regarding the Complaint on the Complaints file.
- In the event that the Complainant continues to be unsatisfied, the Complaints Officer is:
- within 14 days, to prepare a report for the Board of the Responsible Entity and make arrangements for a meeting of the Board of the Responsible Entity to be called within a further 21 days to consider the Complaint;
- within 7 days of the meeting of the Board to provide to the Grower a Decision of the Board.
- In the event that the Complainant continues to be unsatisfied 14 days after a meeting of the Board of the Responsible Entity to consider the Complaint, the Complaints Officer shall provide the Complainant with information as to appropriate avenues by which the Complainant can pursue the Complaint including:
- to invite the Complainant to arbitrate; or
- to have the Complaint resolved by the Financial Industry Complaints Service Limited. The Financial Industry Complaints Service Limited is an independent body set up for the purpose of dealing with complaints with respect to financial planning services.
The Financial Industry Complaints Service Limited may be contacted:
- by phone on 1300 78 08 08
- by fax on (03) 9621 2291
- by email to fics@fics.asn.au; or
- by writing to PO Box 579, Collins Street West, Melbourne 8007.
The Financial Industry Complaints Services Limited will first invoke a conciliation process. Each Complaint is handled in confidence and without affecting any legal rights of the Complainant should they remain dissatisfied. ASIC has a Freecall Infoline 1300 300 630 which the Complainant may use to make a complaint and obtain information.
Any issues arising from complaints that have material ramifications for other Growers shall be reported by the Complaints Officer to the Responsible Entity and the Board.