AUSTRALIA | In its 50th year, the Victorian Ombudsman marked a changing of the guard: Annual Report 2023-24

Victorians made 18,031 complaints about their experiences with public organisations in 2023-24, according to the Victorian Ombudsman’s annual report tabled in Parliament on 31 October 2024.

Poor or delayed communication, incorrect decisions, issues with buildings and facilities, and inadequate remedies in response to complaints were the most common issues people raised with the Ombudsman’s office. There were significant increases in complaints about financial issues such as fees and charges, which may reflect cost of living pressures in the community.

“Ensuring Victorians have access to a fair and impartial way to make complaints helps humanise the bureaucracy and redress the imbalance of power between the individual and the State,” said Victorian Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath.

The Ombudsman’s office could resolve many of these complaints through enquiries to the organisation concerned, but others benefited from an informal conciliation process to help the complainant and respondent organisation reach a resolution. This year, the Ombudsman conciliated 52 complaints, raising 105 issues. In total, 92.9 per cent of conciliations resulted in a resolution, including 41 apologies or admissions or error and $85,820 in ex gratia payments to complainants.

As a critical part of Victoria’s integrity sector, the Ombudsman’s office received 240 public interest complaint allegations in 2023-24, as we all as completing 19 formal investigations and tabling nine reports in Parliament.

The Ombudsman also continued to advocate for a prevention-focused culture within the public sector, working with organisations to build their complaint-handling capability, improve their systems and stop issues arising in the first place. This year, the office delivered 70 education sessions and finalised three reviews of other organisations’ complaint handling systems.

“Fairness, transparency and trust are essential for keeping the public interest at the centre of public administration. As well as upholding the rights of individuals, we also work closely with the public sector and serve as a partner in good governance and administration,” said Ms Baragwanath.

It was a year of significant milestones for the organisation – celebrating its 50th anniversary in October 2023, farewelling outgoing Ombudsman Deborah Glass OBE and welcoming Ms Baragwanath as the new Ombudsman.

“Deborah assumed the Ombudsman role in 2014 during a pivotal moment in Victoria’s integrity landscape,” said Ms Baragwanath. “Deborah leaves behind a legacy of integrity, fairness and human rights that position the organisation well for the decade ahead.”

The Victorian Ombudsman is an independent officer of the Victorian Parliament, charged with promoting fairness, integrity and respect for human rights, and holding the Victorian public sector accountable to the people of Victoria.

Kindy click here to access the annual report.

Source: The Victorian Ombudsman, Australia