Rules governing donations to political candidates in Victoria are inadequate and should be reformed to protect both public confidence in the electoral system and the reputation of people standing for election. Such changes would be considered under the recommendation tabled by the Victorian Ombudsman in Parliament today.

 

This is my last month in the role as Chief Ombudsman. Last week I received this Christmas note from a prisoner. The heartwarming message made me reflect on the people I have served, and the way my staff and I have performed our functions. 

The Queensland Ombudsman’s annual report shows an 11% increase in complaints received by the Office. The 2014-15 annual report was recently tabled in Parliament.

In a public consultation the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is asking people to help shape its new service promises, which are part of a draft service charter to makes clear what people can expect from the organization when they make a complaint, or when their organisations is being investigated.

On 13^th of October 2015, Mr Keursly Concincion was appointed as the new Ombudsman of Curaçao for a term of six years. He was sworn in on the 27^th of October 2015 by the President of the Parliament of Curaçao.

IOI Secretary General Kräuter contributed a guest column to this year’s Democracy Matters campaign, a global conversation hosted by Devex in partnership with International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). The guest column by Mr Kräuter is now available online.

Queensland Ombudsman Phil Clarke today presented The workplace death investigations report, a review of workplace death investigations undertaken by the Office of Fair and Safe Work Queensland (OFSWQ), to the Speaker of the Queensland Parliament.

The Western Australian Ombudsman has tabled a report of a major investigation into the prevention of family and domestic violence fatalities.  The report identifies a range of important opportunities for improvements, including the need for a separate strategy to prevent Aboriginal family violence given that Aboriginal Western Australians are significantly overrepresented as victims of family violence. The report further identifies nine key principles for government agencies to apply when responding to family and domestic violence. Each agency has agreed to the 54 recommendations made by the Ombudsman.