Public complaints

The PCE may investigate any matter where the environment has been or may be adversely affected.

The best place to start is to take your enquiry or complaint to the public agency responsible. This may be:

• the regional council
• the city or district council
• a Government ministry or department.

Here's how you can identify the council or government agency responsible >>>

When you find the right organisation, here's how to go about making a complaint >>>

If you have contacted the public agency responsible and are not satisfied with its response, you can contact us. All complaints must be accompanied by the information requested in our complaint form (52 KB pdf, one page).

The PCE and her team have wide powers to investigate environmental issues, and we can publicly report the results of our investigations. Our complaints process works like this >>>

Although we have wide powers to investigate, the PCE has no power to direct central and local government authorities. We can make recommendations only. In addition, we do not:

• provide legal advice
• mediate in disputes.

If you consider you have been unfairly treated by a council or government agency, the Office of the Ombudsmen may also be able to help.

If you do not wish to make a complaint, you still may like to tell us about your concern, or about positive local initiatives that are underway.

This is important. Keeping us informed helps us when we:

• look at our strategic direction
• choose which investigations to do
• plan our investigations - including setting the scope and selecting case studies.

To tell us what's happening, send an email to pce@pce.govt.nz, post your letter to PCE, PO Box 10241, Wellington, or fax to 04 495 8350.

Please include your name and contact details. We will acknowledge receipt of your letter, and we may able to provide you with useful information.