05 Oct 2011: Complaints about ACT Government agencies up 19%
Complaints about ACT Government agencies up 19%
Approaches and complaints made about ACT Government agencies to the ACT Ombudsman
have risen 19% in the financial year 2010–11.
The figures were revealed in the ACT Ombudsman Annual Report released on Friday in which
ACT Ombudsman Allan Asher criticised how Government agencies deliver services to ACT
residents.
“I began my appointment on 30 August 2010 and quickly formed the view that residents of the Australian Capital Territory were not receiving the level and quality of services to which they are entitled,” Mr Asher said.
Mr Asher’s office received 600 complaints in 2010–11 versus 507 the year before. The agencies drawing the most complaints were: Housing ACT; Corrective Services; Department of Territory and Municipal Services; ACT Planning and Land Authority; and Roads ACT.
Mr Asher points out that since the end of the financial year complaint rates have continued to climb, due in part to the reorganisation of agencies under nine new directorates.
Since taking on the role, Mr Asher has taken active steps to help agencies address the root causes of the rising complaints.
“I have held a series of meetings with senior ACT Government officials and members of the Legislative Assembly, and put forward a 10-Point plan to improve service delivery,” he said.
Among the plan’s recommendations are that the ACT Government:
- clarify the new government structure and its areas of responsibility
- introduce a consistent complaint-handling structure across the whole of government
- use plain language information in all communication
- improve the approach to decision making
- introduce a program of regular Ombudsman inspections covering the broad range of conditions and services available via ACT Corrective Services, with a focus on recordkeeping at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
“My office has also developed a program for working with all the Government directorates to improve complaint-handling and to ensure consistent high-quality administration,” Mr Asher added.
Mr Asher’s office also made a submission to the ACT public sector review conducted by Dr Allan Hawke AC, in which it pointed out that over the last decade the ACT has failed to keep pace with the integrity and accountability reforms underway in other States and Territories.
“Among our recommendations and discussions with government were that consideration be
given to the establishment of an ACT Integrity Commission to comprise responsibility for Ombudsman, personal privacy, law enforcement inspections, freedom of information, ethical advice, anti-corruption and lobbyist regulation functions,” Mr Asher said.
“Meanwhile, we will continue to regularly liaise with ACT agencies and maintain the good working relationship that helps see many of the complaints we receive remedied quickly and effectively.
“We’re always ready and willing to act against agencies who don‘t commit to action, and equally ready and willing to work with anyone prepared to contribute to our goals of fairness, accountability and great social inclusion.”
The Annual Report, the Ombudsman’s 10-Point plan and the submission to the Hawke Review are all available on the ACT Ombudsman website.
Media contact: Shaun Rohrlach, Director of Public Affairs 0408 861 803 or 02 6276 3710