About the Victorian Ombudsman
Legislation Four pieces of legislation guide our operations: • Ombudsman Act 1973 • Protected Disclosure Act 2012
The Victorian Ombudsman works to improve public services in Victoria and to ensure decision making is lawful, reasonable and fair.
• Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Charter of Human Rights) • Constitution Act 1975.
We provide a free, fair and independent service to people with complaints about the decisions or actions of over 1,000 Victorian state government departments and agencies.
Our responsibilities
The Ombudsman can also start her own investigations into government bodies in the public interest, without a complaint.
An authority can be a state government department or administrative office or another public body, such as a:
Under the Ombudsman Act, our principal function is to investigate administrative actions taken by or in an authority.
• private or public prison • statutory authority, for example, WorkSafe or the Transport Accident Commission
Figure 1: Complaint flow chart
Complaint received
8
Is it in our jurisdiction?
Yes
Have there been attempts to resolve it?
No
No
Provide complainant contact details of relevant organisation to lodge complaint
Refer complainant back to agency to give agency opportunity to resolve
VICTORIAN OMBUDSMAN ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Yes
Could it be more appropriately handled by another body? Yes
Refer
No