Had an issue with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)? Get a real response.
How to submit a complaint with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
ABC complaints work best when you separate a content complaint from a general support query. If your issue is about bias, accuracy, standards, or something broadcast or published by the ABC, use the formal complaint route rather than the general feedback form.
Official ABC Complaint Form
- Use the ABC's Make a Complaint form for content complaints about a program, article, interview, or editorial decision.
- Name the program, article, presenter, or ABC platform involved, then give the date, time, headline, or episode details so the complaint can be located quickly.
- Be clear about the complaint category. ABC complaints usually move faster when you state whether the issue is bias, inaccuracy, fairness, offensive material, or another editorial concern.
ABC iview or App Help
- For operational issues like login problems, app glitches, or playback trouble, start with ABC Help rather than an editorial complaint.
- If the operational issue also raises a service complaint, include screenshots, device details, browser or app version, and the exact error message.
Written Complaint
- If you want a formal written trail, the ABC says complaints can also be made in writing through the contact details on the Contact the ABC page.
- Address general complaint correspondence to ABC Audience Support, GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001 if you are not using the online form.
ABC says complaints are handled under a published complaint handling process, with editorial complaints separated from ordinary support or feedback. Not every ABC complaint gets a detailed tailored response, so the quality and specificity of your complaint matters.
Initial ABC Review
- The ABC first checks whether the matter is a formal complaint, general feedback, or an operational support issue.
- Complaints without enough detail may be noted but not investigated deeply, especially where the ABC applies its proportionate response model.
Ombudsman Involvement
- The ABC Ombudsman's Office is separate from content-making teams and may assess, investigate, or review specific ABC content complaints.
- This office focuses on fairness, objectivity, and transparency in the content complaint handling process.
Possible Outcomes
- An ABC complaint can result in no breach finding, a resolved outcome, clarification, correction, or an editor's note where the ABC accepts a problem.
- Recent Ombudsman reports show some complaints are resolved by amending online text, changing wording, or adding context rather than removing content entirely.
Common complaints against Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
ABC complaints tend to cluster around editorial standards and high-visibility content, not just technical support.
Bias and Impartiality
- ABC bias complaints are a recurring theme, especially around politics, war coverage, interviews, and live current affairs segments.
- The ABC's own complaints reporting shows impartiality complaints remain one of the most common reasons audiences lodge formal content complaints.
Accuracy and Wording
- Readers also complain when an ABC article or segment appears misleading, unclear, or poorly worded in sensitive subject areas.
- Resolved Ombudsman cases show that wording changes and editor's notes can follow when the ABC accepts that phrasing caused confusion.
ABC iview and Service Friction
- ABC iview complaints more often involve access problems, app issues, device compatibility, or support frustration.
- These matters usually start as operational support issues rather than editorial complaints, so using the correct ABC channel matters.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) complaints submitted through Ajust
If the ABC's first response does not deal with your issue properly, move the complaint forward with a tighter written record rather than sending a fresh, emotional follow-up.
Escalate Within the ABC Process
- Reply with the original complaint details, the ABC response you received, and the specific point you say remains unresolved.
- Keep the program title, publication date, and exact editorial issue front and centre so the complaint stays anchored to the content.
Use the Ombudsman Route for Content Matters
- If your complaint is about ABC content standards, the Ombudsman pathway is the key internal independent review mechanism.
- This is the strongest route for unresolved ABC editorial complaints about bias, accuracy, fairness, or standards.
Move to External Review if Needed
- For unresolved relevant broadcasting complaints, external review through ACMA may be available after the ABC process has run.
- Keep your original complaint, the ABC response, and the unresolved issue together before escalating further.
ABC complaints do not follow the same path as a normal retailer or telco complaint. The main review structure is the ABC's own Ombudsman system, with external review available for relevant unresolved broadcasting complaints.
- ABC Ombudsman's Office: Independent internal review office for ABC content complaints. Start at abc.net.au/about/ombudsman.
- ACMA: The ABC's own Ombudsman materials refer to external review by the Australian Communications and Media Authority for relevant unresolved broadcasting complaints.
- ABC Complaint Handling Process: Read the published complaint handling process before escalating so your expectations match the ABC process.
- ABC Contact — Contact the ABC — Main ABC contact page covering complaints, feedback, iview help, and postal details.
- ABC Complaint Form — Make a Complaint form guidance — Official starting point for formal ABC content complaints.
- ABC Ombudsman — ABC Ombudsman's Office — Independent content complaint review information and public reports.
- Complaint Handling — ABC complaint handling process — Explains how the ABC assesses and responds to complaints.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Complaints FAQs
How do I lodge an ABC bias complaint properly?
The fastest way to lodge an ABC bias complaint is through the official ABC complaint form, not the general feedback route. Name the exact program, article, presenter, date, and the specific segment you say was biased. ABC bias complaints are stronger when they point to concrete examples of wording, omission, or unfair treatment rather than broad disagreement with the topic.
What happens after I submit an ABC complaint?
An ABC complaint is first checked to see whether it is a formal complaint, general feedback, or a support issue. Editorial complaints may be reviewed under the ABC complaint handling process, and some matters can progress to the ABC Ombudsman's Office. Not every complaint receives a long personalised response, so precise detail matters.
Can I escalate an unresolved ABC complaint to ACMA?
Yes, but usually only after the ABC complaints process has run for the relevant broadcasting issue. The ABC's Ombudsman materials refer to external review by ACMA for unresolved relevant complaints. If you plan to escalate, keep your original ABC complaint, the response you received, and the exact unresolved issue together.
Is an ABC iview problem handled the same way as a content complaint?
No. An ABC iview complaint about login, playback, or app access is usually an operational support matter first, while an ABC editorial complaint is about content standards like bias or accuracy. Using the wrong channel can slow things down, so separate technical support issues from content complaints at the start.
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