Factsheets

Commonwealth Factsheets

• Ten principles for good administration - The Ombudsman prepared a series of reports between 2005 and 2007 following our investigation of 247 cases of immigration detention. The reports detailed the administrative problems and errors that were uncovered during the investigations, and culminated with a report providing ten principles for good administration.
• Ombudsman Investigations - An overview of the Ombudsman’s powers, investigations processes, recommendations, remedies and remedial actions, and working cooperatively with the Ombudsman’s office.
• Ombudsman Recommendations - This fact sheet outlines what government agencies or other entities can expect when the Ombudsman seeks assurance that recommendations have been implemented.
• Complaint handling: Outsourcing - Government functions are often delivered to the public by private sector organisations. This fact sheet outlines the steps that government agencies and the organisations providing a service must take to ensure proper complaint handling arrangements are in place for outsourced services.
• Complaint handling: multiple agencies - Many government services involve two or more Australian government agencies administering a single program, such as airports where police, customs and immigration officials are present. This fact sheet highlights areas that agencies should consider when faced with complaints about any multi-agency program.
• Use of interpreters - This fact sheet sets out eight best practice principles for Australian government agencies when using interpreters.
• Unreasonable complainant conduct - Based on the Better practice guide to managing unreasonable complainant conduct, this fact sheet sets out the principles for dealing with unreasonable conduct by complainants.
• Dealing with ASIC's regulatory decisions - This factsheet outlines the Ombudsman’s Office approach to dealing with ASIC’s regulatory decisions.
• Principles for good practice in responding to coronial recommendations - This fact sheet sets out principles and steps for agencies to follow when responding to coronial recommendations.
• Problems with the NDIS flow chart - Commonwealth Ombudsman Problems-with-the-NDIS-flow-chart.pdf page.
• Education Providers: How to Deliver an Effective Apology - This factsheet offers guidance to education providers on how to deliver an effective apology
• Commonwealth Ombudsman Factsheet: own motion investigations – information for agencies - This factsheet outlines what government agencies and other entities can expect when the Ombudsman conducts an own motion investigation. The main phases of an own motion investigation are planning, information gathering and analysis, and reporting.

Immigration

• Joint Statement on Hotel APODs - Commonwealth Ombudsman and Human Rights Commissioner’s Joint Statement on the use of hotel APODs
• Citizenship and Visa Delays Fact Sheet - This factsheet explains what to do if you have a complaint about your visa or citizenship application with the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs).

Inspections

• Oversight of the use of covert, intrusive and coercive powers - This factsheet provides information about the inspections the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman undertakes to provide assurance that agencies are using certain covert, intrusive and coercive powers according to law and to improve their practices.
• Understanding Our Inspection Report - This factsheet is designed for the agencies we oversee. It outlines the types of reports we provide and gives key information about the terms we use. It also sets out what an agency must do when they receive a report.

Overseas Students

• COVID-19 related complaints to the Overseas Students Ombudsman - This fact sheet is about international student complaints related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• International students - attendance - This fact sheet is all about maintaining satisfactory attendance to meet conditions of your student visa
• International students - course progress - This fact sheet is all about maintaining satisfactory course progress
• International students - education agents - Many international students who choose to study in Australia use the services of an education agent. This fact sheet is all about education agents and what to do if you think something isn’t right.
• International students - fees and refunds - This fact sheet includes answers to common questions we receive from international students when they disagree with their education providers about fees and refunds.
• International students - transferring between education providers - This factsheet is all about transferring between education providers; what you should know and what to consider before applying to transfer to another education provider
• International students - written agreements - The written agreement that you accept is a legal contract between you and your education provider. Sometimes a written agreement is called an ‘enrolment agreement’ or a ‘letter of offer’. Before you enrol with an education provider, you must accept a written agreement with it.
• International students - Overseas Student Health Cover - This fact sheet is about Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). OSHC is a type of insurance policy which covers international students for certain health-related expenses while they are in Australia. This can include doctor’s visits and some hospital expenses.
• International students - Grades and assessments - This factsheet is about making a complaint when you are unhappy about your mark, grade, exam result or other measure of competency.
• Education provider - Education agents - Education providers must ensure their agents adhere to the same standards as providers themselves.
• Education provider - Implementing views - If a student complains to us and we investigate the complaint, what providers need to know about outcomes, implementing views and actions.
• Education provider - What to expect if a student contacts us - This factsheet is to help education providers understand what we do when a student contacts us and what to expect
• Education provider - Written agreements, fees and refunds - We investigate more disputes about fees and refunds than any other issue. This fact sheet highlights a few issues of importance related to common dispute issues.

PID Fact Sheets

• Ombudsman_PID_Fact_SheetA.pdf - Commonwealth Ombudsman ombudsman_pid_fact_sheeta.pdf page.
• Ombudsman_PID_Fact_SheetC.pdf - Commonwealth Ombudsman ombudsman_pid_fact_sheetc.pdf page.
• Ombudsman_how_to_make_a_PID_Final.pdf - Commonwealth Ombudsman ombudsman_how_to_make_a_pid_final.pdf page.

Private Health Insurance

• Private health insurance and hospital agreements - your options if your insurer and hospital terminate an agreement.
• Obstetrics and Pregnancy - questions to ask your insurer if you're planning to start a family
• Health Insurance Premium Increases - the reasons and processes behind premium increases
• Informed Financial Consent - your right to ask about fees when going to hospital
• Membership Arrears - keeping your policy payments up to date
• Policy Exclusions and Restrictions - what isn't covered on your policy
• Mental Health Treatment and Private Health Insurance - cover for psychiatric services, rehabilitation and psychology
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - items your policy may not cover
• Clearance Certificates - What to do if transferring between insurers
• Assisted Reproductive Services - what can be covered for IVF, GIFT and related services
• Podiatric Surgery - cover for surgical treatment from podiatric surgeons
• The Pre-Existing Conditions Rule - how it applies and PHIO's role in complaints
• Dental and Oral Surgery - how private health insurance covers dental surgery
• Orthodontic Treatment - what it involves and how it's covered by private health insurance
• Diabetic Insulin Pumps - how private health insurance covers insulin pumps
• Choosing a Health Insurance Policy - issues to consider when you’re choosing a hospital or general treatment policy
• Ten Golden Rules of Private Health Insurance - 10 tips to help avoid problems with your private health insurance

VET Student Loans

• How we can help you with your VET loan debt complaint - This fact sheet explains how we can help you, the student, with your complaint about your vocational education and training (VET) provider. It also explains what you need to do before contacting us.
• How to raise a complaint - If you have a complaint about your VET FEE-HELP or VET Student Loans provider, you may be able to lodge your complaint with us. Read this fact sheet first to see how to raise a complaint with your provider and with our Office.
• VET Student Loans Ombudsman Factsheet When will my complaint be assessed? - Commonwealth Ombudsman VET-Student-Loans-Ombudsman-fact-sheet_when-will-my-complaint-be-assessed-A1836075.pdf page.
• VET FEE-HELP Student Redress measures - Commonwealth Ombudsman VET-FEE-HELP-Student-Redress-Measures-fact-sheet-revised-13-September-2022-A2277827.pdf page.
• Factsheet - for provider - what to expect when we contact you - Commonwealth Ombudsman Factsheet-for-provider-what-to-expect-when-we-contact-you.pdf page.
• How to seek a review of your VET Student Loan or VET FEE-HELP complaint - Commonwealth Ombudsman VSLO-fact-sheet-Reviews-of-complaints-and-recommendations-A1967701.pdf page.