The 30th Australasian and Pacific Region (APOR) Ombudsman Conference was held in Auckland, New Zealand from 28 – 29 November 2018. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier invited colleagues and guests to New Zealand to discuss how Ombudsman institutions hold governments to account in a changing climate.

Victorian Ombudsman, Deborah Glass, will investigate the use of “solitary confinement” involving young people in Victoria, using the United Nations’ Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). Ratified by the Australian Government in late 2017, OPCAT is yet to be implemented in Victoria.

The Ombudsperson published a recommendation report for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Justice regarding the right to education of convicted persons.

A man complained to Ombudsman Peter Tyndall after he was charged 1,500€ for a number of hospital stays. This was despite a cap of 750€ on such charges at the time. The man, who suffers from a severe kidney condition, was admitted to two different hospitals over 12 months. He spent a total of 30 nights in hospital. At the time there was a 75€ per day charge for a hospital stay.

La carrera tendrá lugar el próximo 16 de diciembre en la ciudad de Santa Fe y habrá una categoría de 8 kilómetros competitiva y una de 4 integrativa. “Queremos poner en foco la defensa que hacemos de la salud pública”, dijo Raúl Lamberto respecto del objetivo de la actividad.

The Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) launched a new guide, which aims to strengthen the protection of LGBTI persons in detention settings. "Towards the effective protection of LGBTI persons deprived of liberty: a monitoring guide" offers practical guidance on how to account for sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in a torture prevention framework.

Ombudsman of Belize, Lionel Arzu, visited the Control Yuan (CY) on 30 October 2018. During his visit, he delivered a speech in which he introduced the Belizean Office of the Ombudsman’s promotion of good governance and protection of human rights. He also engaged in open and friendly discussions with CY members and staff.

Le commissaire aux langues officielles du Canada, Raymond Théberge, se réjouit de la décision favorable de la Cour suprême du Canada ce matin dans l’affaire Mazraani c Industrielle Alliance, Assurance et services financiers inc.Cette décision confirme la nature fondamentale du droit d’utiliser la langue officielle de son choix devant les tribunaux fédéraux ainsi que le rôle des juges et des tribunaux de veiller activement à la protection de ce droit.