10 Jun 2011: Ombudsman challenges agencies to listen
Ombudsman challenges agencies to listen
The ACT Ombudsman has challenged ACT Government agencies to listen more to the free advice gained from community complaints about government services – rather than costly consultants – to improve services to the community.
Most government agencies invest significant sums of money contracting consultants to review their business performance and recommend improvements – when agencies have much to learn by simply turning to their attention to complaints received from the community about policies and services.
The ACT Ombudsman’s office provides a complaint-handling service that is free of charge to the ACT community and works to provide practical recommendations to agencies, based on lessons learnt through the investigation of complaints. This has been particularly the case in 2010–2011, with a forecast 10% increase in complaints about ACT government agencies, over last year. As of today 554 complaints have been received, compared with 507 complaints for the full 2009–10 year.
More than business consultants are able, the ACT Ombudsman, empowered through legislation has the authority to investigate complaints, identify causes of poor administrative outcomes and bring these to the attention of agencies.
‘By shining a light on the cause of a complaint, we assist agencies to recognise administrative problems and implement changes in their policies and procedures where they fall short of best practice,’ said ACT Ombudsman Allan Asher.
The ACT Ombudsman conducts these investigations in private, in a fair and impartial manner. The office seldom seeks to criticise or embarrass agencies through publication of findings, but will take that action when it is deemed to be in the public interest.
Most often, agencies agree with Ombudsman findings and undertake their own remedial action in line with the Ombudsman’s recommendations.
‘Our priority is to understand the nature of the complaint, the causes, opportunities for remedy, and importantly to work with agencies on improving policies and services to the community,’ said Mr Asher.
This was the case with an outcome from a recent investigation, prompted by a complaint received from Mr R about a defect notice issued by the ACT Road Transport Authority (RTA), after his car sustained a broken lens cover following a minor traffic accident.
His vehicle was issued with a defect notice while parked in a public car park.
Mr R felt that the defect notice should not have been issued because the light was operational and the car had already been assessed and booked in for repair.
Mr R complained about the lack of information provided on the defect notice, and how to request withdrawal of a notice – so he wrote a letter of complaint to the RTA but did not receive a response.
Following investigation, the ACT Ombudsman’s view was that the public was entitled to be better informed about the right to have a defect notice withdrawn.
The RTA advised that it would be including more information on future vehicle defect notices to advise motorists of their right to request a withdrawal of a notice.
The RTA also acknowledged that it had misplaced Mr R’s complaint and advised that it needed to improve its procedures for managing and tracking complaints from the public.
Unfortunately for Mr R he was unable to avoid the inconvenience or the $55.70 cost of a vehicle inspection.
Whilst ACT Ombudsman investigations do not always result in a remedy that satisfies the complainant, but lessons learnt can help agencies to do better. As an impartial integrity agency, the Ombudsman does not advocate, but rather works with agencies to find fair and reasonable solutions to complaints, and opportunities to improve services.
‘I encourage government agencies to always look to complaints for the valuable insight they provide into problems with government services or policies experienced by individuals, that often can’t be learnt through engaging costly business consultants,’ said Mr Asher.
‘The increase in complaints about ACT agencies highlights the important continuing role of the Ombudsman as an independent agent, in helping to resolve complaints and improve government policies, procedures and services for the ACT community’, said the ACT Ombudsman Mr Asher.
The Office of the ACT Ombudsman can be contacted on 1300 362 072.
Media contact: Shaun Rohrlach, Director of Public Affairs 0408 861 803 or 02 6276 3710