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Appeals process

OverviewAppealing a rejectionAppealing an approvalAppeals to the Managing DirectorComplaintsRelated resources

This article is part of the Iris Ethics Knowledge Base; you can find a directory of all articles here.

Overview

Iris Ethics distinguishes an appeal against a decision from a complaint about conduct. Appeals against a decision are lodged with the HREC Chair in writing and, where unresolved, escalated to the Managing Director. Complaints about the conduct of the HREC, its members, Iris Ethics staff, or an approved project are handled under the published complaints policy.

Appealing a rejection

Where the Panel has declined to accept an application, you may either submit a new application that takes the Panel's concerns into account, or lodge a written appeal with the HREC Chair specifying the grounds of the appeal.

Appealing an approval

An appeal against a favourable decision can also be lodged with the Chair, where an ethical or scientific issue is subsequently identified, or it becomes apparent that the decision was based on an inconsistent application of policy or guidelines.

Appeals to the Managing Director

If you consider the HREC failed to follow due process in handling your appeal to the Chair, and remain unsatisfied with the outcome, you may lodge an appeal with the Managing Director, or ask the Chair to refer it on your behalf.

Complaints

Complaints about the conduct of the HREC, an HREC member, Iris Ethics staff, or an approved project are lodged by email and reviewed under the Complaints policy. The Managing Director receives and acknowledges the complaint, then forwards it to the HREC Chair for investigation and action, unless the Chair is the subject of the complaint, in which case the Managing Director handles it directly; where both the Managing Director and the Chair are the subject of a complaint, external independent advice is sought. Investigation may include review of existing records and further information from stakeholders, and you are notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Related resources

 

This page was last updated on 16 September 2026.

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This article makes reference to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2025. It is intended as practical guidance and does not constitute legal advice.

AI Disclosure: Resources in this library were prepared using Large Language Models with input from Iris Ethics staff who guided the scope and design. Subsequent revisions and final versions were developed and approved by Iris Ethics staff.