COMPLAINTS POLICY

Effective from 5 October 2021

How to make a complaint

If you are not happy with any aspect of your contact with BUSSQ and wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Complaints Officer.

The Complaints Officer contact details are:

If you need assistance to lodge your complaint, please contact us and let us know what type of assistance you need. 

Our staff can provide you with support and information on how to lodge a complaint over the phone, via email and in person. 

We can provide you with access to the National Relay Service, National Interpretation and Communication Services (NICSS), or Aboriginal Interpreter Service.

We can also offer translation services to complainants or make staff available who are cross-culturally trained.

Who may make a complaint

 We accept and deal with complaints from a range of individuals, including members, former members, beneficiaries with an interest in a death benefit, a representative of a member, parties to an agreement under the Family Law Act 1975 or order affecting superannuation, and employers.

How we manage complaints

We will acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours (or one business day) of receiving it, or as soon as practicable.

Your complaint will be escalated through the Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process if it cannot be resolved within 5 business days or where you are not completely satisfied with the resolution.

The Complaints Officer will assess and prioritise the complaint according to the urgency and severity of the issues raised.

For superannuation trustee complaints, the Complaints Officer will investigate your complaint on your behalf and write to inform you of the results of that investigation no later than 45 calendar days after receiving your complaint (unless the complaint relates to a death benefit distribution, in which case the Complaints Officer will respond no later than 90 calendar days after the expiry of the 28 calendar day period for objecting to a proposed death benefit distribution).* If, after reviewing any objections to a proposed death benefit distribution, we amend or maintain the previous proposed decision, we will give all potential beneficiaries notice that we have made our decision and eligible complainants can make a complaint to AFCA within 28 calendar days.

For any other complaints such as complaints about privacy or financial services provided by BUSSQ (standard complaints), the Complaints Officer will investigate your complaint and write to inform you of the results of that investigation no later than 30 calendar days after receiving your complaint.* 

If your complaint relates to insurance, the Complaints Officer will provide you with updates at least every 20 business days (unless we agree a different timetable with you). 

Our formal response will include: 

• The reasons for our decision; 
• Your ability to request documents relied on to decide your complaint; and
• Your right to take your complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

*Sometimes we will need more time to investigate and respond to your complaint. In such a situation, before the relevant response timeframe expires, we will provide you with an Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) delay notification which provides reasons for the delay and your right to take your complaint to AFCA.

If you are not satisfied with our response or you have not received a response within the required timeframe, you may take your complaint to AFCA.

AFCA provides a fair and independent financial services complaint resolution service that is free to consumers. AFCA may be able to help resolve your complaint, but only after you have made a complaint to BUSSQ.

AFCA’s contact details are:

MAIL: Australian Financial Complaints Authority, GPO Box 3, Melbourne VIC 3001

PHONE: 1800 931 678

EMAIL: info@afca.org.au

WEB: afca.org.au