Message from the Director-General

The Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) Directorate’s Customer Service Charter recognises that everything we do is customer oriented. Whether undertaking our core services such as city maintenance or delivering major infrastructure projects, we seek to do things well and efficiently. We recognise that we will be judged by our responsiveness. As such, we structure the charter on an attitude of pride in what we do for our community, of which we are part, and a commitment to deliver great services and solve issues promptly. We appreciate that some issues may be complex and not easily resolved but we commit to listening and learning from our community, and using our resources wisely to achieve the best possible collective outcome.

TAMS Director-General, Gary Byles

Staying connected with our community

Most ACT residents interact with TAMS every day. This may be by visiting one of our public libraries, putting out recycling for collection, using a road or footpath, enjoying one of Canberra’s parks or using a MyWay card to catch an ACTION bus.

Engagement with the community is essential in delivering our services and we encourage our customers to provide feedback to inform the way they are delivered. We recognise the important role the community undertakes in identifying where services may be required, while ensuring TAMS continues to meet a range of needs when setting its priorities.

TAMS promote its community engagement projects through the ACT Government’s Timeto Talk website.

This single engagement point allows residents to get involved in consultation exercises across the ACT Government. It also enables TAMS to provide timely feedback to participants during and after the engagement process.

TAMS’ Twitter feed is a way for residents to keep up to date with community events, road closures, new services, changes to existing services and consultation opportunities. To keep informed follow us on Twitter

TAMS has aFlickrsite, an online photo management website, to share its images. This is part of our commitment to social networking, to enable greater community engagement and information sharing, particularly with those who do not use traditional media.

Our service commitment

This Customer Service Charter guides our partnership with you. We value you as a customer and have introduced this Charter as an expression of our commitment to delivering great services and increasing customer satisfaction through better community engagement.Some of our services also have their own Customer Service Charter that provides more specific information on the standard of service you can expect from them.

We are committed to:

  • providing prompt, courteous and efficient service
  • treating you with respect
  • offering systems and processes that are user friendly
  • actively seeking your feedback to ensure our services meet your needs.

TAMS is also committed to maintaining accurate and up to date content on its website at TAMS website , so customers can easily access information on our services and planned program of works.

Contacting us

Access Canberra makes access to the ACT Government easy with professional, knowledgeable and friendly staff. We manage our customer contact through Access Canberrra service channels. These include:

  • online at theAccess Canberra website
  • a telephone contact centre (13 22 81)
  • four full service shopfronts in Belconnen, Dickson, Tuggeranong and Woden, and Gungahlin Service Centre.

Customers that use the online system may make submissions anonymously or they may create an account which will allowthem to track the progress of their submission. Calls may be made 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Saturday and 9am to 5pm Sunday.

If you require a translator or interpreter, contact us through the Translating and Interpreter Service (TIS) on 13 14 50.

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service (NRS):

  • Internet relay users connect to the NRS then ask for 13 22 81.
  • Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 13 22 81.
  • TTY (teletypewriter) users phone 13 36 77 then ask for 13 22 81.
    Our service standards
  • Access Canberra will address your enquiry on your first call or visit or refer your enquiry to the appropriate area within ACT Government where necessary.We will acknowledge your online communication.When you write to us we aim to respond within 10 business days. Where the issue is complex we will keep you informed of our progress.Where you have indicated you would like a response to your feedback or complaint we undertake to do this in a timely manner.

Making a complaint or giving feedback

  • If we fall short in our service, we encourage you to bring your concern to us directly so that the matter can be attended to, and resolved where possible.
  • If we have done a great job and you would like to tell us about your experience of if you want to compliment a staff member for excellent service we would also like to hear from you.

What you can expect from us

  • We will act with honesty and integrity.
  • We will treat you with respect and welcome your feedback on our service.
  • We will listen carefully to what you have to say to ensure we can determine the most appropriate way to assist you.
  • We will treat your personal information with confidentiality and respect your privacy.
  • We will provide you with clear, accurate and timely information.
  • We will actively invite feedback and conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys.

How you can help us

  • Be courteous and respectful to our staff.
  • Respect the rights of other customers.
  • Let us know if need an interpreter or extra help in understanding or accessing our services.
  • Provide clear and accurate information in your dealings with us.
  • Be aware that our staff have obligations and processes they must follow.
  • Work with us to solve problems.
  • Help us to recognise our people by telling us when you have received excellent service.
  • Tell us when we fall short in our service to you so that we know how to improve our services.

If there is something we should know about how to improve our services or you have some information about service faults or other feedback you can let us know online at theFix My Street website, which is available via the Access Canberra website.
Feedback and complaints

Can be lodged through Access Canberraonline via Access Canberra websiteor phone 13 22 81.

You can complain in writing by sending your correspondence to:

Director, Governance

Territory and Municipal Services Directorate
GPO Box 158
Canberra ACT 2601

Feedback, requests for service and complaints are managed in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2014.Reports of wrong-doing by ACT public officials such as dishonesty, or misuse of information or funds are covered by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2012.

If you are not satisfied with the way your feedback or complaint was managed by TAMS you may also contact the ACT Ombudsman on 1300 362 072 or online via ACT Ombudsman Office website