Guidance for planning submissions, policy consultations, correspondence with representatives and complaints to regulators or organisations.
What to include
1
Name the decision
Use the exact project, application, bill or consultation title and reference number.
2
State your connection
Say where you live, work or provide services and how the decision affects you or your community.
3
Make each concern concrete
Link power, water, noise, privacy or safety concerns to a fact, document, local condition or lived impact.
4
Ask for an outcome
Request refusal, further assessment, public notice, a hearing or clear approval conditions.
5
Check and lodge
Meet the deadline, follow the required format, keep the receipt and save your final copy.
Draft builder
Submission draft builder
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Generated text
Draft submission
Replace every bracketed prompt. Add your own experience and check the recipient’s publication and privacy rules before lodging.
How-to guides
Preparing different types of submission
Planning submission or objection+
Planning grounds and proposed conditions
Quote the application number, land address and relevant planning authority.
Identify the documents and planning provisions relevant to each ground.
Separate project-wide issues from impacts specific to your property, service or community.
For each concern, state the evidence, the expected impact and the decision or condition requested.
Address cumulative impacts where other industrial or infrastructure development already affects the area.
State whether you want notice of the decision and an opportunity to be heard at a meeting or panel.
Government policy consultation+
Consultation questions and recommendations
Identify the consultation paper and the questions being answered.
Give an executive summary of your position and recommendations.
Separate evidence, direct experience, analysis and recommendations.
State who would be responsible for implementing each recommendation, the proposed timeframe and how compliance should be measured.
Address enforcement, review, public reporting and the consequences of non-compliance.
Disclose organisational interests or funding where relevant.
Letter to an MP or minister+
Information to include
State that you are a constituent and give your suburb if that is accurate.
Name the project, bill, agency decision or policy and explain why the representative has responsibility.
State the action requested, such as writing to a minister, raising the matter in Parliament or seeking a briefing.
Ask specific questions that require a written response.
Attach only the documents needed to support the request and list them in the letter.
Keep the reference number and follow up using the date of the original correspondence.
Privacy or regulator complaint+
Chronology, obligations and remedy
Set out the events in date order and identify the organisation, service, account and people involved.
Describe the personal information or conduct involved and how it was collected, used, disclosed, retained or relied upon.
Quote the relevant policy, consent statement, statutory obligation or regulator guidance.
Record previous complaints, responses and reference numbers.
State the practical harm or continuing risk and the remedy requested.
For an OAIC privacy complaint, retain the organisation’s response or evidence that 30 days passed without one.
Copyable templates
Detailed templates
Planning
Data centre planning submission
Subject: Submission on [project name], [application number]
To [responsible authority or decision-maker],
1. Submission details
Project: [full project name]
Application number: [reference]
Site: [street address and municipality]
Applicant: [name]
I [live / work / own property / provide services] in [place]. My connection to this application is [explain proximity, use of local infrastructure, professional role or other direct interest].
2. Position
I [oppose the application / support it only if the conditions below are imposed / support the application].
The reasons for my position are set out below.
3. Planning grounds
Ground 1: [for example, electricity infrastructure and cumulative demand]
Relevant material: [name the application document, page, planning provision, policy or technical report]
Evidence: [quote or summarise the relevant figure, statement, omission or local condition]
Impact: [explain the expected effect and who or what is affected]
Requested response: [state whether this ground requires refusal, further information, independent assessment or a specific condition]
Ground 2: [for example, water source and cooling demand]
Relevant material: [document and page]
Evidence: [fact or information gap]
Impact: [practical effect]
Requested response: [decision or condition]
Ground 3: [for example, noise, backup generators and air quality]
Relevant material: [document and page]
Evidence: [fact, modelling assumption or local evidence]
Impact: [practical effect, including hours and affected locations]
Requested response: [decision or condition]
[Repeat for traffic, flooding, biodiversity, cultural heritage, visual impact, waste, emergency management or other relevant grounds.]
4. Cumulative impacts
The assessment should consider this proposal together with [existing or approved developments, substations, transmission works, industrial emissions or other relevant projects]. The combined impact requiring assessment is [describe it].
5. Information required before a decision
The following material is missing or insufficient:
• [annual and peak electricity demand, including each development stage]
• [annual, peak-day and drought-period water demand by source]
• [generator number, fuel, testing schedule and emissions]
• [independent noise modelling at identified sensitive locations]
• [renewable electricity agreement and whether it adds new generation]
• [other project-specific information]
6. Decision requested
I ask the responsible authority to [refuse the application / require the missing information and give the public a further opportunity to comment / approve only with enforceable conditions].
If approval is considered, I request conditions that:
• cap the approved electricity and water demand at stated levels;
• require annual public reporting of electricity, water, diesel use and emissions;
• limit generator testing to stated hours and require notice of exceptional testing;
• require independent noise and air-quality monitoring, with results published;
• establish a public complaints register and response time;
• require further approval before any increase in capacity; and
• [add project-specific condition].
7. Process
Please confirm receipt, provide the submission reference number and notify me of any meeting, hearing, further information request and final decision. I [do / do not] consent to publication of my name with this submission.
Attachments:
1. [document, photograph, map or correspondence]
2. [document]
[Name]
[Suburb or organisation]
[Contact details required by the submission process]
Policy
Policy consultation submission
Subject: Submission on [consultation title]
To [department, regulator or committee],
1. Executive summary
This submission recommends that the government:
1. [recommendation in one sentence]
2. [recommendation]
3. [recommendation]
My overall position is [brief position on the proposal or consultation question].
2. About the submitter
I am responding as [an individual / community member / practitioner / researcher / organisation]. My relevant experience or connection is [brief explanation].
[If submitting for an organisation: describe its role, people represented, relevant funding and any interests that should be disclosed.]
3. Response to consultation questions
Question [number and title]
Position: [direct answer]
Evidence and analysis: [research, official data, professional experience, community evidence or a documented case example. Distinguish published evidence from your own experience.]
Recommendation: [specific change to the proposed policy, law, code, definition or process]
Question [number and title]
Position: [direct answer]
Evidence and analysis: [details]
Recommendation: [specific change]
[Repeat for the questions relevant to your submission. Answer every question only where the consultation requires it.]
4. Detailed recommendations
Recommendation 1: [action]
Problem addressed: [what is currently absent or inadequate]
Responsible body: [department, regulator, minister, industry body or other entity]
Implementation: [legislation, approval condition, code, funding, reporting system or operational change]
Timeframe: [date or staged period]
Compliance measure: [what must be reported or demonstrated]
Enforcement: [audit, penalty, licence condition, review or complaint mechanism]
Recommendation 2: [action]
Problem addressed: [details]
Responsible body: [details]
Implementation: [details]
Timeframe: [details]
Compliance measure: [details]
Enforcement: [details]
5. Safeguards and accountability
The final framework should include:
• clear definitions for [terms that affect the scope of the rules];
• minimum requirements that cannot be displaced by voluntary commitments;
• public reporting at [project / company / sector] level;
• independent audit and access to underlying data;
• a complaint and review mechanism available to affected people;
• consequences for non-compliance;
• periodic statutory review; and
• consultation with [affected communities, First Nations groups, workers, children, people with disability or other relevant groups].
6. Expected effects
The recommendations would affect [groups or sectors]. Expected benefits are [details]. Possible costs or unintended effects are [details]. These should be managed through [mitigation or implementation measure].
7. Conclusion
For these reasons, I ask [department or decision-maker] to adopt the recommendations above and publish a response explaining which recommendations were accepted, varied or rejected.
References and attachments:
1. [full citation or link]
2. [full citation or attachment]
[Name or anonymous, if permitted]
[Organisation, if relevant]
[Contact details, if required]
Representative
Letter to a representative
Subject: Constituent request about [project, bill or decision]
Dear [title and surname],
I live in [suburb] in your electorate. I am writing about [full name of project, bill, inquiry, agency decision or policy].
1. Issue
[State what has happened or is proposed, who is responsible and the current stage. Include the application, bill or consultation reference and any deadline.]
2. Local or public effect
[Explain the effect on you, the electorate or the public. Include one or two significant figures or document references rather than a long general history.]
3. Action requested
I ask you to:
1. [write to the responsible minister or agency requesting a stated action];
2. [raise a question in Parliament, seek a briefing, request publication of documents or support a specified amendment]; and
3. [meet affected residents or provide another specific form of representation].
4. Questions requiring a response
Please provide a written response to the following questions:
1. Do you support [specific position or safeguard]? If not, what alternative do you support?
2. Have you contacted [minister, department, council or company] about this matter? If so, what response was received?
3. What action will you take before [relevant deadline or decision date]?
4. Will you make your correspondence and any response public?
5. Supporting material
I have attached:
• [application extract, report, photograph, petition or correspondence]
• [document]
Please confirm receipt and provide the office reference number. If this matter falls outside your responsibility, please state which office or agency is responsible and whether you have referred it.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
[Street or suburb, as needed to confirm constituency]
[Email and phone]
Privacy
Privacy complaint to an organisation
Subject: Formal privacy complaint about [service, account or incident]
To the Privacy Officer,
Please treat this correspondence as a formal privacy complaint.
1. Complainant and service details
Name: [name]
Account or customer reference: [reference]
Service, product or program: [name]
Previous complaint reference: [reference, if any]
2. Summary
On [date or period], your organisation [collected / used / disclosed / retained / inferred / relied upon / refused access to] my personal information in the following way: [concise summary].
The personal information involved was [identify the data, including any sensitive information, derived profile or automated assessment].
3. Chronology
• [date]: [what occurred]
• [date]: [notice, consent request, disclosure, automated decision or account event]
• [date]: [contact with the organisation and response]
• [date]: [continuing event or consequence]
4. Basis of complaint
I am concerned that this conduct was inconsistent with:
• [the organisation’s privacy policy or collection notice, quote the relevant wording];
• [the consent I gave or the limits I placed on consent];
• [relevant Australian Privacy Principle, consumer obligation, code or other requirement]; and
• [any promise made in correspondence or the service terms].
The specific issue is [for example, information was collected without a clear need; consent was bundled or not informed; information was used for a different purpose; data was disclosed without authority; access or correction was refused; information was retained after it was no longer required; an automated decision relied on inaccurate data].
5. Effect and continuing risk
The practical effect has been [financial loss, denial of service, distress, reputational effect, safety concern, incorrect record, loss of control over information or other consequence].
The issue is continuing because [data remains held or published, a decision remains in effect, information may be disclosed again, or another ongoing risk].
6. Information requested
Please provide:
1. the categories and source of personal information held about me;
2. the purposes for which it was used and the legal or consent basis relied upon;
3. the names or categories of recipients to whom it was disclosed;
4. the retention period and deletion process;
5. whether an automated system was used and the information relied upon; and
6. the identity of any service provider processing the information.
7. Remedy requested
I ask the organisation to:
• [provide access to or correct the information];
• [delete information no longer required and confirm deletion];
• [stop the use or disclosure and notify recipients of the correction];
• [review the decision by a person with authority to change it];
• [explain the incident and the steps taken to prevent recurrence];
• [reimburse a stated loss or provide another remedy]; and
• provide a written outcome addressing each part of this complaint.
8. Evidence attached
1. [screenshot, collection notice or consent screen]
2. [privacy policy or terms applying at the relevant date]
3. [correspondence and reference numbers]
4. [evidence of the effect or loss]
Please confirm receipt and the date by which I will receive a written response. If the complaint is not resolved, I will use the response and supporting record in any complaint to the relevant regulator.
[Name]
[Contact details]
