June 22, 1995
PR: 95-005
JURISDICTION OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
VICTORIA - Ombudsman Dulcie McCallum announced today that her Office's jurisdiction has been extended to include complaints about local governments and their related agencies.
"The amendment of our legislation to include these authorities completes the circle so that the public now has the ability to seek a review on the fairness of administrative actions of all public bodies," Ms. McCallum said. "The list of public bodies now included in our mandate is comprehensive, and parallels the areas governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The public now has the mechanisms to ensure that all bodies providing a public service are fair and open."
In working towards proclamation of this new area the Office of the Ombudsman has been in contact with most local government agencies through the UBCM and the Municipal Officers Association. "We have established a system for contact with local governments, and have ensured their key, contact staff understand the role of the Ombudsman and the way our Office manages complaints," said Ms. McCallum. "The transition period during this final phase of proclamation of new authorities should be smooth." Ms. McCallum also stressed that as with other public bodies, the Office of the Ombudsman will not be a replacement for an existing process. "We support and educate agencies to manage and resolve concerns themselves," said Ms. McCallum. "We will become involved only where there is no appropriate local process to review the issue, or in complaints about the adequacy of those local procedures."
Having local governments within the Ombudsman's investigative jurisdiction brings the total number of public bodies to 2,800. "The expansion of the work of our Office over the past 3 years has presented a remarkable but very exciting challenge for all of us here at the Office of the Ombudsman."
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