Complaints & Feedback Policy and Procedure

Last updated: 11 July 2026

Part A — Policy

1. Purpose and commitment

1.1 Career Calling International Pty Ltd (ABN 53 162 651 238, ACN/ARBN 162 651 238), trading as The HE Sector Awards ("we", "us", "our"), values open communication and treats complaints and feedback as an opportunity to improve.

1.2 We are committed to handling complaints fairly, promptly, confidentially and free of charge, and to resolving issues cooperatively wherever possible.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to complaints and feedback about: this website (https://hesector-awards-preview.netlify.app) and its content or accessibility; our products and services; our people and representatives; our handling of personal information (privacy complaints); and our marketing and communications.

2.2 It applies to all complainants — clients, prospective clients, website visitors and other stakeholders — anywhere in the world.

2.3 Product-specific remedies (such as refunds under the Australian Consumer Law or a licence agreement) are handled under the relevant sale or licence terms; this policy governs how the complaint itself is received, managed and escalated.

3. Principles

• (a) Accessible — complaints may be lodged by email, phone or post; no fee applies;
• (b) Fair — both the complainant and any person complained about will be heard; conflicts of interest are managed;
• (c) Confidential — complaint information is handled under our Privacy Policy and disclosed only to those who need it to resolve the matter, or as required by law;
• (d) No detriment — no complainant will suffer any retaliation, disadvantage or reduction in service because they raised a complaint in good faith;
• (e) Recorded — complaints are registered, tracked and reviewed so systemic issues are identified and fixed.

Part B — Procedure

4. How to lodge a complaint or feedback

You may lodge a complaint or provide feedback by any of the following channels:

• Email: info@caqa.com.au (general) or complaints@careercalling.com.au (privacy and formal complaints)
• Telephone: 03 8103 8000 or 1800 266 160 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm AEST/AEDT)
• Post: Complaints Officer, Career Calling International Pty Ltd, 2/10 Lawn Court, Craigieburn VIC 3064, Australia

Please include: your name and preferred contact details (anonymous complaints are accepted, though our ability to respond may be limited); a description of the issue, with dates and any relevant documents; and the outcome you are seeking.

5. What happens next

5.1 Acknowledgement — within 2 business days. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and give you a reference and the name of the person handling it.

5.2 Investigation. Your complaint will be assigned to an appropriate officer (privacy complaints go to our Privacy Officer). We may contact you for further information and will consult relevant staff, contractors, subject-matter experts and, where necessary, our compliance and legal advisers.

5.3 Response — within 10–15 business days. We aim to provide a substantive written response within 10 business days and no later than 15 business days of acknowledgement. If a complaint is complex and more time is genuinely needed, we will tell you why, give you a revised timeframe, and keep you updated at reasonable intervals.

5.4 Resolution. Possible outcomes include an explanation, an apology, correction of information, a change to our processes, replacement or rectification of a product or service under its terms, or another remedy appropriate to the complaint. We will explain our decision and your escalation options.

6. Escalation ladder

If you are not satisfied at any stage, escalate in this order:

1. Internal review — ask for the matter to be reviewed by the Privacy Officer (privacy matters) or a senior manager not involved in the original decision. Contact: complaints@careercalling.com.au.
2. External bodies, depending on the nature of the complaint:

• Privacy — Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): www.oaic.gov.au · 1300 363 992 · GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001;
• Discrimination or accessibility — Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC): humanrights.gov.au/complaints · 1300 656 419;
• Consumer matters — Consumer Affairs Victoria: consumer.vic.gov.au · 1300 558 181, or the consumer protection agency in your state or territory;
• EU/UK privacy — your local data protection supervisory authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office);
• US privacy/consumer — your state Attorney General's office.

You may contact these bodies at any time; you do not need our permission, and doing so will never affect how we treat you.

7. Record-keeping and continuous improvement

7.1 We maintain a confidential complaints register recording the complainant (unless anonymous), the substance of the complaint, actions taken, outcomes and timeframes. Records are retained in accordance with our Data Retention Policy.

7.2 The register is reviewed periodically to identify recurring issues, and this policy is reviewed at least annually.

8. Unreasonable conduct

We will always deal with complaints respectfully. Where a complainant's conduct is abusive, threatening or vexatious, we may limit the channels through which we correspond, while still addressing the substance of any genuine complaint.