Privacy complaints

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is committed to handling your personal information in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act). This page explains how you can make a privacy complaint if you believe QPS has not handled your personal information in accordance with the IP Act.

On this page

• What is a privacy complaint?
• Before you make a privacy complaint
• Making a privacy complaint
• Lodge your privacy complaint
• What happens next?
• If you are not satisfied with our response
• Need help?

What is a privacy complaint?

A privacy complaint is defined in section 164 of the IP Act as a complaint by an individual about an act done or practice engaged in by a relevant entity in relation to the individual’s personal information that may be a breach of the relevant entity’s obligation to comply with—

1. the privacy principle requirements; or
2. for an agency—chapter 3A, part 2 or 3.

The privacy complaint process is limited to examining whether the QPS has complied with its obligations under the IP Act in relation to the handling of personal information. This assessment considers the QPS’ information‑handling practices, rather than the conduct of individual officers.

Personal information means information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable from the information or opinion whether the information or opinion is true or not and whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.

Before you make a privacy complaint

• Read the Privacy Complaint Guideline.
• Your privacy complaint must concern your personal information, or the personal information of someone you are authorised to represent.
• Your privacy complaint must be in writing, include an address at which QPS can contact you and provide details of the act or practice by QPS that you are complaining about.
• A privacy complaint must generally be made within 12 months after you became aware of the act or practice.
• If you are seeking access to documents or correction of your personal information, visit the QPS Right to Information and Subpoena page.

Making a privacy complaint

The QPS Privacy Complaint Guideline and the QPS Privacy Complaint Form work together to help you provide the information required for QPS to assess your privacy complaint.

Lodge your privacy complaint

Email the completed form and supporting documents to privacy@police.qld.gov.au, or post them to:

Principal Privacy Officer
Privacy Unit
Queensland Police Service
GPO Box 1440
Brisbane QLD 4001

What happens next?

• The Privacy Unit will assess your privacy complaint and may ask for further information or documents.
• The Privacy Complaint Guideline explains how privacy complaints are handled.
• From the time you lodge a privacy complaint QPS has a period of 45 business days to respond.
• QPS will provide you with a written outcome.

If you are not satisfied with our response

If you are not satisfied with our response, or if you have not received a response after 45 business days, you may lodge a privacy complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). Find out more about lodging a privacy complaint with the OIC. The Information Commissioner may consider your privacy complaint and, where appropriate, attempt to mediate the privacy complaint. The Information Commissioner does not determine whether a breach of the IP Act has occurred or require a particular settlement. If the privacy complaint is unable to be resolved through mediation, you may ask the Information Commissioner to refer your privacy complaint to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal for determination.

Need help?

Contact the QPS Privacy Unit by email at privacy@police.qld.gov.au if you are unsure whether your concern is a privacy complaint or require assistance to provide the privacy complaint in writing.