Zoned land: development and land use complaints

This page explains how to make a complaint about a failure to follow the Northern Territory (NT) Planning Scheme and zoning laws, development permit conditions, or endorsed plans.

Who can complain

A complaint may be made by a member of the public, local councils or other government agencies.

You can complain to the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics about another person or party who has not complied with the Planning Act 1999, a planning scheme or a development permit.

There may be further legal action against the other party by Development Consent Authority or the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics as a result of your complaint.

Confidentiality when making a complaint

If you make a complaint, your identity will be kept confidential unless:

  • it’s necessary to investigate the matter
  • you give written permission to disclose your identity
  • your identity has already been disclosed:
    • to the complainant or
    • in a public document
  • it’s required under the Information Act 2002
  • it's required to follow procedural fairness
  • the matter proceeds to court.

How to complain

You must make the complaint in writing by filling in the section 78 planning complaints form.

Section 78 planning complaints form  PDF (159.9 KB)
Section 78 planning complaints form  DOCX (63.1 KB)

Once completed, send the form to Development Assessment Services by email or post:

Compliance officer
Development Assessment Services
GPO Box 1680
Darwin NT 0801
das.ntg@nt.gov.au

After you submit your complaint

Your complaint will be investigated by the department's compliance team.

The compliance team conducts inspections of approved projects, responds to reports and complaints, investigates potential breaches and carries out enforcement action.

If the complaint is about a breach of the law, the compliance team may negotiate an outcome between parties, send warning letters, send penalty notices or take legal action.

If the court finds the person or party has gone against the law, it may issue a fine and order work done to fix the breach of the law.


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