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Lodge a Complaint

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Ad Standards response to COVID-19

Ad Standards is committed to providing a responsive and efficient advertising complaints adjudication system for Australia as the situation around coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve.

Please continue to lodge your complaints through our website as below, or by post to PO Box 5110, BRADDON, ACT, 2611.

Ad Standards will continue to monitor the situation as we maintain our capacity to respond to community concerns about advertising content, while ensuring the safety of our team.

Any changes to business as usual, including the timeframe for turn-around, will be advised on our website.

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The Ad Standards Community Panel considers complaints about advertising or marketing communications where the complaint is something listed in a number of Industry Codes.

Can we consider your complaint?

In order to make sure you are complaining to the right body, please take time to consider the following before you lodge a complaint:

The below questions are designed to ensure that we are able to consider your complaint. Once you have answered the below questions you will be taken to the complaint lodgement form.
 

Lodge your complaint

Complaints about the content of a program should be made to FreeTV Australia (in the case of free-to-air television), ASTRA (in the case of Pay TV) or Commercial Radio Australia (in the case of radio).

The role of the Panel is to consider complaints against the content of an advertisement or marketing communication. The Panel's charter does not extend to a broadcaster's own advertisements for television programs or television program guides. Complaints of this nature should be referred to the particular broadcaster: FreeTV Australia (in the case of free-to-air television), ASTRA (in the case of Pay TV) or Commercial Radio Australia (in the case of radio).

You must be able to clearly identify the advertisement so that Ad Standards can investigate your complaint fully. Ad Standards is not able to investigate complaints if the advertiser, the product advertised and the date/time/location of advertisement cannot be identified. Please ensure you have as much detailed information as possible to help identify the advertiser, the product and the broadcast/publication details. A separate complaint must be lodged for each advertisement you wish to complaint about.

The role of the Panel is to consider complaints against the content of advertisements and marketing communications. Advertising or Marketing Communications are defined as those over which the advertiser or marketer has a reasonable degree of control. You must have seen the advertisement in its intended medium for Ad Standards to be able to consider your complaint.

The role of the Panel is to consider complaints against the content of an advertisement or marketing communication. The Panel does not consider complaints about the loudness or the frequency of advertisements being broadcast. Complaints of this nature should be referred to the particular broadcaster and either FreeTV Australia (in the case of free-to-air television) or ASTRA (in the case of Pay TV).

The role of the Panel is to consider complaints against the content of advertisements and marketing communications. The Panel does not consider whether a product or service is, or should not be, legally allowed to be advertised. You may wish to contact the advertiser directly with your concerns.

The role of the Panel is to consider complaints against the content of advertisements and marketing communications. The Panel does not consider general complaints about the truth and accuracy of advertisements or marketing communications, except for specific provisions identified in the Food and Beverages Code and Environmental Claims Code. Complaints about the general truth and accuracy of advertising claims should be referred to the advertiser or the office of Fair Trading/Consumer Affairs in your State or Territory or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.