Features | View from the bureaucracy | Commonwealth Ombudsman Annual Report 2007-08

The administrative law reforms that led to the creation of the Ombudsman’s office in 1977 reflected a new emphasis on the rights of individuals over executive action. Mr Andrew Podger, Institute of Public Administration Australia National President, commented that ‘The size and complexity of government had been growing … and the need for some re-balancing was widely recognised’.

According to Dr Peter Shergold, then Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Ombudsman ‘provides an assurance to citizens that the workings of officialdom are subject to expert scrutiny … ensuring public accountability for the way in which a public service uses public funds in the public interest’.

Mr Podger believed the Ombudsman has contributed to improved decision making, building more coherence and structure, as well as fairness, into government systems. He commented ‘The bureaucracy’s genuine respect for the Ombudsman comes … from the quality of the assessment, its timeliness, and its appreciation of both the experience of the person seeking review and the context in which the decision maker was operating.’

‘The Commonwealth Ombudsman has been a substantial contributor to public administration in Australia, Ombudsman reports assist in resolving underlying problems, rather than just correcting a wrong decision and blaming the decision maker.’

The existence of the Ombudsman acts as a powerful reminder to public servants that they have an obligation to ensure their actions are not infected with administrative error, beyond legal authority or deny natural justice. The Ombudsman’s activities improve the quality of government service delivery, and ensure fair and impartial treatment of recipients of those services.