CHAPTER 3 | corporate management

Internal accountability structures and processes

The Commonwealth Ombudsman is also the ACT Ombudsman under a Memorandum of Understanding with the ACT Government. The Ombudsman's office remains independent of the ACT Government.

The Governor-General appointed Prof. John McMillan as Commonwealth Ombudsman in March 2003 for a five-year period. The Ombudsman's remuneration is determined in accordance with a ruling by the Remuneration Tribunal.

In 2004–05, the Ombudsman delegated day-to-day responsibility for operational matters for the ACT Ombudsman to Senior Assistant Ombudsman Katherine Campbell, and responsibility for law enforcement, including ACT Policing, to Senior Assistant Ombudsman Vicki Brown. Both are supported by a team of specialist staff in carrying out these responsibilities for the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman both maintain an active involvement in the work of these two teams.

Strategic and organisational planning

Each year, the Ombudsman develops a Strategic Plan and a Business Plan for the office, which identify priorities for the year. Progress against these plans is monitored and assessed on a quarterly basis, with any adjustments made accordingly.

The plans are customised to reflect current challenges and relevant issues facing individual teams. These business plans are, in turn, used to develop individual work plans for staff members.

Strategic directions for the office are being reviewed for the period 2005–06 to 2007–08, and a priority action plan for 2005–06 is being developed.

Government contractual debts

The Ombudsman is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Government Contractual Debts (Interest) Act 1994 (ACT). See the 'Annual reporting compliance' section in the Ombudsman overview section of this report for more information.