Guidelines on attending the Complaints Committee

1. Both complainant and publication are invited to attend a meeting of the Complaints Committee where the matter will be discussed. There is however no obligation to attend.
    
2. In most cases, you will be invited to the next available meeting of the committee. The Executive Secretary will tell you in good time when and where this is scheduled.
    
3. Normally the committee meets in Sydney. Sometimes the committee visits other centres. Alternatively, and less frequently, an assessment panel may be convened or an assessor appointed. (No guarantee can be made that a meeting will be held in a location nominated by either party.)
    
4. Discussions of complaints by the committee are informal.
    
5. Legal representation is not allowed. However, by arrangement with the Executive Secretary, a party may attend with a friend or friends, or, if s/he cannot attend, arrange to send someone else.
    
6. No new material will be admitted or may be tabled.
    
7. The discussion opens with the complainant and publication representative being introduced to the committee. The Chair will then normally invite the complainant and then the publication representative, if either wishes, to speak briefly on the main points of the complaint. The committee will have read the file carefully, so it is best to speak generally about the complaint. Because of time constraints, no more than five minutes can be allowed for each party. In particular, parties are advised not to prepare and read a statement to the committee - it is better to speak to its members informally.
    
8. The Chair will then invite members of the committee to ask questions. Answers should be directed to the committee, not to the other party.
    
9. After this discussion is concluded, the Chair will invite the publication representative, then the complainant, if either wishes, to make any final comments, each to speak for no more than two minutes.
    
10. The committee will then draft an adjudication that will be referred to the next meeting of the Council.