New Health Complaints Commissioner appointed

Dr Lynne Coulson Barr OAM has been appointed as South Australia’s new Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC).

The HCSCC plays an important role in supporting consumers, carer and service providers to resolve complaints, improving the safety and quality of health and community services, and providing information, education and advice about health and community service rights and responsibilities.

Dr Coulson Barr has served as the Queensland Health Ombudsman since 2022, delivering many notable contributions to protecting Queensland’s public health and safety, while also driving improvements to the quality and safety of health services.

She brings valuable experience and insight from her role as the inaugural Mental Health Complaints Commissioner in Victoria, where she established a specialist statutory body with inclusive and accessible approaches to mental health complaints and safeguarding rights.

Dr Coulson Barr’s distinguished career includes leadership roles in statutory complaint, oversight and regulatory bodies, and in 2020 she was honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia for her contributions to mental health, safeguarding frameworks and dispute resolution.

She is recognised nationally and internationally for her specialist expertise in designing and implementing accessible and inclusive complaint and review processes, as well as driving approaches to improving the safety and quality of services.

Dr Coulson Barr’s qualifications include a Doctorate of Law with research on statutory conciliation, and a Masters and Bachelor of Social Work.

She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and an accredited mediator and conciliator under the National Mediator Accreditation System.

Dr Coulson Barr OAM will begin in her new role on 18 February 2026.

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

I’m delighted that Dr Lynne Coulson Barr OAM will be South Australia’s new Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner.

Dr Coulson Barr has earned national and international recognition for her specialist expertise in delivering accessible and inclusive complaint and review processes, and playing an important role in improving the safety and quality of services.

I have no doubt that her considerable experience and insight will be of enormous value to the complaints commission.

I would also like to thank Debbie Martin for her leadership as interim Commissioner over the last six months, and wish her all the best in her retirement.

Attributable to incoming Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner, Dr Lynne Coulson Barr OAM

I look forward to progressing the important work of the Commission in improving the quality, safety and confidence in SA health and community services through supportive and responsive complaints resolution and addressing risks to public health and safety.