Ombudsman
The Ombudsman plays a key role in ensuring government offices and official decisions are accountable and transparent. This chapter explains the way the Ombudsman’s office works and the areas covered by the Ombudsman. Practical information regarding how to make a complaint is also provided.
What is an Ombudsman?
The office of the Ombudsman plays an important role in ensuring government accountability. Ombudsman offices provide a means of complaint or appeal for people who have encountered problems with the administrative actions of government departments; other departments and authorities can make compla...
Ombudsman Offices
The Tasmanian Ombudsman The functions of the Ombudsman in Tasmania are to ‘investigate the administrative actions of public authorities to ensure that their actions are lawful, reasonable and fair.’ She can initiate an investigation when there is a complaint and also on his own initiative. Gover...
State and Federal Ombudsmen Offices
The Ombudsman carries out a series of other functions related to the administration of government. These often cover specific statutes, and the areas that an Ombudsman can investigate are different at State and Federal levels. Generally speaking, a Commonwealth Ombudsman receives complaints and h...
What Can the Ombudsman Investigate?
What the Ombudsman can Investigate The Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the administrative actions of government departments or authorities. In Tasmania, this includes most bodies (known as ‘public authorities’) established by the State government, as well as local councils. A few a...
Complaining to the Ombudsman
Who Can Complain? Anyone can complain to the Ombudsman; individuals, organisations or incorporated bodies. Even a government agency can complain about the administrative actions of another agency. Complaints must normally be made by the person affected by the administrative action but in special...
Conduct of Investigations
The conduct of the Ombudsman’s investigation can be summarised as follows: The Ombudsman is required to undertake investigations in private, otherwise investigations may be conducted in such manner as the Ombudsman thinks fit. The Ombudsman needs to establish the facts about a complaint. ...
Complaints Against Police
Under both the State and Federal Ombudsman Acts the Ombudsman has power to deal with complaints made by citizens against police and by prisoners against the prison authorities. People who believe they have been treated unfairly by the police should be aware that they are entitled to make a com...
The Energy Ombudsman: Tasmania
There is no Commonwealth Energy or Water Ombudsman. Energy is always a State issue. The Tasmanian Energy Ombudsman can receive, investigate and resolve complaints about energy entities. The complaints may be about any service the electricity or natural gas company provides to consumers including:...
Page last updated 19/03/2018