Having worked across corporate boardrooms and remote communities, Hear Me Out Project Lead, Kert Stavorn has seen how differently people can experience the legal system. Here, he reflects on access to justice, his own experience and the power of Hear Me Out.

Your complaint does matter as it gives you a way to formally record what happened, ask an institution to address it and make sure your experience is not forgotten. Hear Me Out can help you take that first step. It can help you work out where to complain, understand your options and draft a formal complaint that clearly explains what happened and what you want to see change.

When police misuse their powers, we need independent oversight to make sure they are held to account for causing harm. Complaints give people a way to speak up about what happened to them and challenge misconduct.

Who do I complain to? Whether a food delivery doesn’t arrive, a service falls short, or a workplace issue isn’t addressed, the problems may be different, but the next step is often the same: working out where a complaint should go.

Whether it's discrimination or failure by a public service, complaints can expose patterns and help prevent the same harm happening to someone else.

Rents are rising much faster than wages, leaving many renters under pressure and unsure where to turn when problems arise. Hear Me Out helps make that first step clearer by guiding renters to the right complaint pathway and helping them draft a clear complaint if needed.

Hear Me Out is running a pilot clinic with Monash University to give people extra, human support navigating the complaints system. If your matter is suitable, a supervised student team may help you work out the right complaint pathway, organise your information, and prepare a clearer complaint through a phone or video appointment. To request support, email hello@hearmeout.org.au with a short summary of what happened and what outcome you’re seeking.

Now available in Victoria, Hear Me Out helps people make complaints to the right body faster and with less confusion. Free, plain-English and built for access to justice.

Struggling to lodge a complaint or find the right place to be heard? Hear Me Out is a free online tool that helps you cut through confusion by matching your issue to the correct complaints body—whether it’s about discrimination, faulty products, workplace issues, or government services. Instead of being bounced between departments or buried in legal jargon, Hear Me Out guides you step-by-step with clear, simple instructions so you can take action confidently. It doesn’t offer legal advice or resolve complaints directly, but it does make navigating the complaints process easier, fairer, and far less frustrating.