Tell us when something is wrong
We would rather hear about a problem than not. Nothing about making a complaint costs you money, affects your enrolment, or gets held against you.
Pluto Training handles every complaint and appeal according to the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness. That means you get to put your case, the person deciding is not the person you are complaining about, decisions are based on evidence, and you are told the outcome and the reasons for it.
Students, staff, employers and members of the public can all raise a concern with us.
Complaint or appeal – which is it?
| What it covers | |
|---|---|
| Complaint | You are dissatisfied with something – the quality of training or assessment, a trainer or staff member, another student’s conduct, the enrolment process, marketing or information you were given, fees or administration, issue of your results or certificate, learning resources or equipment, personal safety, discrimination or harassment. |
| Appeal | You want a decision reviewed – an assessment result, an RPL or Credit Transfer outcome, a course admission decision, a refund decision, the outcome of a complaint, or a suspension or cancellation decision. |
If you are not sure which applies, submit the form anyway and tick whichever seems closest. We will sort it out.
How complaints work
Step 1 – Try the informal route first
Most things get resolved with a conversation. Raise it with your trainer, or call the office on (02) 9138 3500.
If you are uncomfortable speaking to the person involved, or the conversation does not resolve it, go to step 2.
Step 2 – Lodge a formal complaint
Complete the Complaints and Appeals Form and submit it in writing, setting out your case with as much detail as you can. Attach any supporting documents.
Step 3 – We acknowledge it
You receive written acknowledgement, and your complaint is recorded in our Complaints and Appeals Register along with who is handling it.
Step 4 – We investigate
The matter is referred to an appropriate staff member who was not involved in what you are complaining about. Investigation may include speaking to the people involved, reviewing records and documentation, reviewing assessment evidence, and seeking independent advice.
You may bring a support person – a friend, family member or advocate – to any meeting.
Step 5 – You get a decision
A decision is made within 10 working days wherever possible. You are notified in writing with the findings, the reasons, and any action being taken.
If a matter is going to take longer than 60 calendar days, we write to you explaining why and provide weekly written updates until it is resolved.
Where a decision supports you, we act on it immediately.
Step 6 – If you disagree
If the outcome is not in your favour, you are told about your right to appeal.
How appeals work
Appealing an assessment result
Speak to your trainer or assessor first. They may decide to reassess you and will document the reasons either way.
If you are still not satisfied, lodge a formal appeal. The matter may be reassessed by a different assessor appointed by Pluto.
Appealing any other decision
Notify us in writing within 10 days of the date of the decision notice, setting out the grounds of your appeal. For an appeal against the outcome of a formal complaint, notify us within 20 working days.
What happens next
- Your appeal is recorded in the Complaints and Appeals Register.
- The process begins within 10 working days of your appeal being lodged.
- Your appeal is considered by our Complaints and Appeals Committee — three people appointed by the CEO who were not involved in the original decision.
- The committee may gather evidence and meet with everyone involved.
- You are notified of the outcome in writing, with reasons.
- Where the decision is in your favour, we implement any change immediately and tell you what has been done.
You may bring a support person to any meeting.
Download the form
Complete the Complaints and Appeals Form and return it by email to info@plutotraining.edu.au, or ask us to post you a copy.
Complaints and Appeals Form
Print, complete by hand, sign and return by email or post.
Fillable Form
Complete it on your phone or computer, save and email it back.
What to include
- Whether it is a complaint or an appeal.
- Your name, student ID if you have one, and contact details.
- The course you are doing and your trainer’s name.
- The dates the events relate to.
- What happened, including who was involved.
- What you have already done to try to resolve it.
- What outcome you are looking for.
That last one matters. Telling us what you want to happen usually gets there faster than describing only what went wrong.
How to submit
| info@plutotraining.edu.au | |
| Phone | (02) 9138 3500 |
| Post | Contact us and we will provide a postal address for written correspondence. |
| Business hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm |
What it costs
Nothing. There is no charge to lodge or present a complaint or appeal.
If a matter is referred to an external third party, those costs are discussed and agreed with you first. Where mediation is used, the mediator’s fee and any room hire are shared equally between you and Pluto.
If you choose to get independent advice or representation, that is at your own cost unless the CEO agrees otherwise. Incidental costs such as travel or phone calls are not reimbursed.
If you are still not satisfied
Once you have been through our internal process, you have external options.
Independent mediation
You can request an independent external review through the Resolution Institute. Costs are shared equally between you and Pluto. We implement any recommendation arising from an external review within 10 working days of receiving it.
Other bodies you can contact
| Body | Contact |
|---|---|
| National Training Complaints Hotline | 13 38 73 – dewr.gov.au |
| Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) | Level 10, 255 Elizabeth Street, Sydney – asqa.gov.au/complaints |
| Legal Aid NSW | 1300 888 529 |
ASQA is our regulator. It cannot act as your advocate or resolve your individual dispute, but lodging a complaint informs its assessment of our organisation and may result in an audit.
ASQA and the National Training Complaints Hotline will normally expect you to have gone through our internal process first.
You will not be penalised for complaining
No student, staff member or stakeholder will be disadvantaged, victimised, discriminated against or treated unfairly for lodging a complaint or appeal in good faith.
Complaints are handled confidentially, and details are shared only with the people who need them to resolve the matter.
If a complaint or appeal has resulted in a suspension or exclusion for breaching the Student Code of Conduct, that suspension continues until it expires or the matter is decided in your favour.
What we do with complaints
Every complaint and appeal is recorded in our Complaints and Appeals Register, and a summary is reviewed at management meetings.
We look for repeat issues, common themes and any trend that needs correcting — not just to close individual cases, but to stop the same thing happening to the next person. Actions can include changing a policy, retraining staff, improving resources or changing a process.
Tell us how we handled it
After your matter is closed we will ask you to complete a short feedback form about the process itself — whether the timeframe was reasonable, whether you felt heard, and whether the process was easy to understand. It takes two minutes and it genuinely shapes how we do this.
Records
We record every formal complaint and appeal, including the original form, supporting evidence, meeting notes, correspondence and the outcome. Records are kept confidential and secure, and retained in accordance with legislative requirements.
Talk to us
If you are unsure whether to make a complaint, call us and ask. You do not have to commit to anything by having a conversation.
| Phone | (02) 9138 3500 |
| info@plutotraining.edu.au | |
| Business hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm |
| RTO number | 46209 |
| Verify our registration | training.gov.au |