Here are some tips for writing a complaint. These may also be useful if you are using the complaint form.
A complaint letter needs to be addressed to the President of Anti-Discrimination NSW.
Please do not include:
We will let you know if we need any additional documents or materials from you.
Please note that the President can decline to accept a complaint if the events happened more than 12 months ago.
Anti-Discrimination NSW cannot write a complaint for you. However, we can provide information about the type of details to include.
If you are making a discrimination complaint to Anti-Discrimination NSW, it is important to explain how the conduct you experienced may relate to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
If you need help with your complaint, an advocate, family member or friend can help you write it. Anti-Discrimination NSW will involve you in the complaint process unless you are unable to participate.
For information about using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to prepare a complaint statement, please see our page Using AI tools to write a complaint.
Before lodging a complaint, you may wish to seek legal advice. This can help you understand whether your complaint is covered by the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) and can be handled by Anti-Discrimination NSW. We do not administer Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws and cannot investigate matters such as corruption, fraud or general human rights concerns.
Documents prepared for other complaint processes or legal proceedings, such as NCAT matters, may not contain the information needed for us to assess a discrimination complaint. If you provide documents from another process, we may ask you to submit a separate complaint that outlines your discrimination complaint in your own words.
The examples below show the type of information to include when preparing your complaint.
In NSW, unlawful discrimination is when you are treated less favourably than somebody else because of a ground or characteristic that is covered by the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
I have a chronic back injury which means I can’t sit for long periods of time. I have a desk job at a government department which requires me to work on documents most of the time.
I asked my employer (in an email) if I can take 10-minute breaks every hour to walk around the office. I have a medical report which states that this is the best way to manage my condition.
I also need to see a physiotherapist regularly. I asked if I could start work late one morning per week (I can usually get in by 10.30am). My manager and other team members regularly schedule work meetings for first thing in the morning despite knowing this and me requesting this.
My manager says that I can’t take breaks and attending work between 9-5pm is part of my job and my physio appointments can’t be accommodated indefinitely every week.
This has been happening for the past 6 months, and I am finding it hard to cope.
From 12 December to 22 June <insert year>.
My employer hasn’t accommodated my disability even though I have medical report to support the changes I need to be able to do my job, and there is no reason why the team meetings can’t be rescheduled when I need to attend an appointment.
I am of African background. I was shopping at my local supermarket in a regional area where there are not many black residents. I noticed a staff member following me as I shopped.
When I went to the self-checkout, the staff member followed me there, stood over me and watched me scan all my items. It was very busy and he was the only staff member on duty at the self-service check outs.
Another customer called out for assistance, but he didn’t leave my side and followed me to the shop exit. He asked me to open my bag and show my receipt. He didn’t ask any other shopper to do this.
This happened last week on 15 May <insert year>.
I was the only black person in the shop and the only person who was targeted by the shop assistant and the only one whose bag was inspected.
I applied for a job as a mechanic at a garage. I am a qualified mechanic and have a good work history.
My name is Dale so employers don’t necessarily know I’m female when I send my CV.
I went to the interview and I was asked questions such as do I mind getting covered in grease and do I have any difficulty listing heavy tools?
I was also asked if I was planning a family.
The job was advertised online on 23 March <insert year> and I had an interview on 30 March <insert year>.
I received a phone call on 31 March <insert year> to say I didn’t get the job because there was a better applicant.
I didn’t get the job. I think this is because I’m female and all the other mechanics are male.
Victimisation is when a person experiences some sort of harm (or detriment) because they have made (or plan to make) a discrimination complaint or because they have provided information or evidence about a complaint under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).
I complained to my manager that I was receiving fewer shifts as a disability worker since I told her I was pregnant. My manager said this was not the case, but I noticed that it continued.
I went to her manager and complained again and said I would “take it further” and complain of discrimination to the manager’s manager.
After that I stopped getting any shifts and was told I wasn’t a good worker and if my performance didn’t improve, I’d be sacked.
I complained about my shifts in March this year and the manager emailed me in April and told me I’d be sacked last week on 18 May <insert year>.
No one had ever raised any performance issues with me until after I’d said I thought I was getting fewer shifts because I’m pregnant.
Vilification is a public act that could incite hatred, serious contempt or severe ridicule towards a person or group because of their race, homosexuality, religion (or lack of religion) transgender status, or having HIV or AIDS.
I work on a building site. There are several guys there who don’t like me and make fun of me because I’m gay.
They exclude me and have called me “fairy” and “poofter” followed by them laughing and throwing food over me.
They say this is an initiation because I’m only 17. They didn’t do this to my mate who isn’t gay.
It started in April <insert year> and has been continuing. I’m going to quit because I’m constantly anxious and can’t sleep.
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