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Other complaint handling bodies


There are a number of organisations that an Ombudsman does not have the power to investigate.  If an Ombudsman is not able to investigate your complaint for this reason, you will be advised of any other complaints handling bodies that may be able to assist you.

In addition, an Ombudsman will usually decline to investigate your complaint if there is an adequate legal or administrative remedy reasonably available to you.  If an Ombudsman refuses to investigate your complaint for this reason, you will be advised of any alternative remedies that may be available to you.

Below is a list of common areas of complaint and the contact details of the relevant complaints handling bodies that may be available to you. 

ACC

Office of the Complaints Investigator
Freepost 264 
Wellington 
Phone:  0800 650 222 
Fax:  (04) 918075800
 
Freepost 264 
Auckland 
Phone:  (09) 915-8321
Fax:  (09) 915-8317
 
Email: complaints@acc.co.nz
Website:  www.acc.co.nz 

Advertising

Advertising Standards Authority
P O Box 10-675 
Wellington
Phone: (04) 472-6852
Fax: (04) 471-1785
Email: asa@asa.co.nz
Website:  www.asa.co.nz
 
Broadcasting Standards Authority 
P O Box 9213 
Wellington
Phone: 0800-366-996
Fax: (04) 382-9543
Email: information@bsa.govt.nz
Website:  www.bsa.govt.nz
 
Commerce Commission
P O Box 105-222 
Auckland Central
Phone: (09) 920-3480
Fax: (09) 920-3481
 
PO Box 2351 
Wellington
Phone: (04) 924-3600
Fax: (04) 924-3700
 
P O Box 25-193
Christchurch
Phone: (03) 964-3450
Fax: (03) 964-3451
 
Freephone: 0800 94 3600
Website:  www.comcom.govt.nz

Bankruptcy / Insolvency

Ministry of Economic Development
Involvency and Trustee Service
PO Box 1473
Wellington
Phone: 0508-467-658
Email: information@insolvency.govt.nz
Website: www.insolvency.govt.nz

Banking

Banking Ombudsman 
P O Box 10-573 
Wellington
Phone: 0800-805-95
Fax: (04) 471-0548 
Email:  help@bankombudsman.org.nz
Website:  www.bankombudsman.org.nz

Broadcasting

Broadcasting Standards Authority
P O Box 9213 
Wellington
Phone: 0800 366 996
Fax: (04) 382-9543
Email:  info@bsa.govt.nz
Website: www.bsa.govt.nz

Children

Commissioner for Children
P O Box 5610 
Wellington 
Phone: 0800-22-44-53
Fax: (04) 471-1418
Email: children@occ.org.nz
Website:  www.occ.org.nz

Complaints

Complaint Line
Complaint line is a gateway website for organisations that provide the New Zealand public with complaint resolution processes.  This is managed by the Advertising Standards Authority but is a stand-alone service.
Website: www.complaintline.org.nz

Consumers

Consumers’ Institute 
Private Bag 6996 
Wellington
Phone: (04) 384 7963
Fax: (04) 385 8752
Website:  www.consumer.org.nz
 
Commerce Commission
Contact Centre 
P O Box 2351 Fax: 
Wellington
Phone:  0800-943-600
(04) 385 8752
Email: contact@comcom.govt.nz
Website:  www.comcom.govt.nz
 
Ministry of Consumers’ Affairs
PO Box 1473 
Wellington
Phone: (04) 474 2750
Fax: (04) 473 9400
Website:  www.consumer-ministry.govt.nz
 
Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) 
P O Box 9777 
Wellington 
Phone:  0800 367 222
Fax:  (04) 382 8647
Email:  admin@cab.org.nz
Website:  www.cab.org.nz 

Courts

Ministry of Justice
P O Box 180 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 918-8800
Fax: (04) 918-8820
Website:  www.justice.govt.nz/courts

Dentists

NZ Dental Association 
3 St Marks Road 
P O Box 28-084 
Auckland
Phone: (09) 524-2778
Fax: (09) 520-5256
Email: nzdainfo@nzda.org.na
Website:  www.nzda.org.nz

Dental Council of NZ
Level 8, 108 The Terrace  
PO Box 10-448 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 499-4820
Fax: (04) 499-1668
Email: inquiries@dcnz.org.nz
Website:  www.dentalcouncil.org.nz
 
Health and Disability Commissioner 
PO Box 1791
Auckland 
Phone:  0800 11 22 33
Fax:  (09) 373 1061
 
PO Box 12299 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 494 7900
Fax:  (04) 494 7901

Email:  hdc@hdc.org.nz
Website: www.hdc.org.nz

Discrimination

Human Rights Commission 
P O Box 6751  
Auckland

P O Box 12411 
Wellington
 
P O Box 1578
Christchurch
 
Freephone: 0800-496-877
Email: infoline@hrc.co.nz
Website:  www.hrc.co.nz

Doctors

Health and Disability Commissioner 
PO Box 1791  
Auckland
Phone:  0800 11 22 33 
Fax:  (09) 373 1061

PO Box 12299 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 494 7900
Fax:  (04) 494 7901
 
Email:  hdc@hdc.org.nz
Website:  www.hdc.org.nz
 
Nationwide Advocacy Service
Upper North Island 
Phone  0800-555-050
Email:  hat@xtra.co.nz

Mid and Lower North Island 
Phone: 0800-423-638
Email: adnet@xtra.co.nz

South Island: 
Phone: 0800-377-766
Email:  advocacy.services@xtra.co.nz

Free Fax: 0800-2787-7678
 
Medical Council of New Zealand
P O Box 11-649 
Wellington
Phone: (04) 384-7635 
Fax:  (04) 385 8902
Email:  mcnz@mcnz.org.nz
Website:  www.mcnz.org.nz
 
New Zealand Medical Association
P O Box 156 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 472-4741
Fax:  (04) 471 0838
Website:  www.nzma.org.nz

Electricity (also includes gas complaints)

Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner 
Freepost 192682
P O Box 5875
Lambton Quay  
Wellington 6145
Free phone: 0800-22-33-40 
Free fax: 0800-22-33-47
Email:    info@egcomplaints.co.nz
Website:  www.egcomplaints.co.nz
 
Ministry of Economic Development  
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 472-0030
Fax: (04) 473-4638
Email: information@med.govt.nz
Website:  www.med.govt.nz (Click on ‘energy resources and safety’)

Employment Problems

Employment Tribunal 
Phone:  0800 800 863
Website: www.infoline.govt.nz

Environmental issues

Environment Court
Central Registry 
P O Box 5027 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 918-8300
Fax:  (04) 918 8303
 
P O Box 7147 
Auckland 
Phone: (09) 916-9091
Fax:  (09) 916 9090
 
P O Box 2069 
Christchurch 
Phone: (03) 962-4170
Fax:  (03) 962 4171
 
Email: tribunals@clear.net.nz
Website: www.courts.govt.nz/environment
 
Ministry for the Environment
P O Box 10-362 
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 917-7400
Fax:  (04) 917 7523
Email:  information@mfe.govt.nz
Website:  www.mfe.govt.nz
 
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
P O Box 10-241 
Wellington
Phone: (04) 471-1669 
Fax:  (04) 495 8350
Email: info@pce.govt.nz
Website:  www.pce.govt.nz

Films and publications

Office of Film and Literature Classification
P O Box 1999
Wellington
Phone: 0508 236 767
Fax: (04) 471 6781
Email: information@censorship.govt.nz
Website: www.censorship.govt.nz

Housing

Tenancy Services
Department of Building and Housing
PO Box 10 729 
Wellington 
Phone: 0800 83 62 62
Fax:  (04) 494 0290
Website:  www.dbh.govt.nz/housing/tenancy/index.html

Human rights

Human Rights Commission 
P O Box 6751 
Auckland  
P O Box 12411 
Wellington
  
P O Box 1578
Christchurch
 
Freephone:  0800-496-877
Email:  infoline@hrc.co.nz
Website:  www.hrc.co.nz

Immigration

Residence Review Board
PO Box 1809 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 915 4200
Fax:  (04) 915 6390
Website:  www.residencereviewboard.govt.nz

Refugee Status Appeals Authority
PO Box 90 251 
Auckland Mail Centre 
Auckland 1
Phone:  (09) 94 4299
Fax:   (09) 914 5263
Website:  www.nzrefugeeappeals.govt.nz

Removal Review Authority
PO Box 1674 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 915 4274
Fax:  (04) 915 6390
Website:  www.removalreviewauthority.govt.nz

Income Support

Benefit Review Committee
Contact your local WINZ office listed in the Blue Pages of your telephone directory.
 
Social Security Appeal Authority
Tribunals Unit
Ministry of Justice
P O Box 32001
Wellington 
Phone: (04) 462-6660
Fax: (04) 462-6686
Email:  tribunals@justice.govt.nz
Website: http://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/social-security-appeal-authority

Insurance and savings

Insurance & Savings Ombudsman  
P O Box 10-845 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 499-7612
Phone:   0800 888 202 (outside WN) 
Fax:  (04) 499-7614 
Email:  info@iombudsman.org.nz
Website:  www.iombudsman.org.nz

Landlords and tenants

Tenancy Services
Department of Building and Housing
PO Box 10 729 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 494 0260
Phone:  0800 83 62 62
Fax:   (04) 494 0290
Website:  www.dbh.govt.nz/housing/tenancy/index.html

Lawyers

New Zealand Law Society
P O Box 5041 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 472-7837
Fax:  (04) 473 7909
Email:  inquiries@lawyers.org.nz
Website:  www.lawyers.org.nz
 
Concerns about Solicitor’s Trust Accounts 
Freephone: 0800 261 801

Newspapers

New Zealand Press Council
P O Box 10879 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 473-5220
Fax:  (04) 471 1785
Email:  presscouncil@asa.co.nz
Website:  www.Presscouncil.org.nz

Police

Independent Police Conduct Authority
P O Box 5025 
Wellington 
Phone:   0800 503 728
Fax:   (04) 499 2053
Website:  www.ipca.govt.nz

Privacy

Privacy Commissioner 
P O Box 10-094  
Wellington
Freephone:   0800 803 909
Phone:   (04) 474 7590 
Fax:   (04) 474 7595
Email:   privacy@actrix.gen.nz
 
P O Box 466 
Auckland
Phone: (09) 302 8680 
Fax: (09) 302 2305
Email: privacy@iprolink.co.nz
 
Website:  www.privacy.org.nz
 

Radio and television

Broadcasting Standards Authority
P O Box 9213 
Wellington 
Freephone: 0800 366 996
Phone: (04) 382 9508
Fax: (04) 382 9543
Email: info@bsa.govt.nz
Website:  www.bsa.govt.nz

Real estate

Real Estate Institute of New Zealand
P O Box 5663 
Auckland 
Phone:  0800 473 469
Fax:  (09) 379 8471
Email:  reinz@reinz.co.nz
Website:  www.reinz.org.nz

Resource Management issues

Environment Court
Central Registry 
P O Box 5027 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 918-8300
Fax:  (04) 918 8303

P O Box 7147 
Auckland 
Phone: (09) 916 9091
Fax:  (09) 916 9090
 
P O Box 2069 
Christchurch
Phone:  (03) 962 4170
Fax:  (03) 962 4171
 
Email:  tribunals@clear.net.nz
Website:  www.courts.govt.nz/environment
 
Ministry for the Environment
P O Box 10-362 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 917-7400
Fax:   (04) 917 7523 
Email:   information@mfe.govt.nz
Website:  www.mfe.govt.nz
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
P O Box 10-241 
Wellington 
Phone:  (04) 471 1669
Fax:   (04) 495 8350 
Email:  info@pce.govt.nz
Website:  www.pce.govt.nz
 
Telecommunications
 
Telecommunication Dispute Resolution
P O Box 5573 
Wellington 6145
Freephone: 0508 98 98 98
Email: contact@tdr.org.nz
Website:  www.tdr.org.nz

Workplace Safety

Occupational Safety and Health Service
Details for the 18 OSH branches nationwide are listed in the Blue Pages of the local telephone book under Labour Department.
Website:  www.osh.dol.govt.nz