CHAPTER 1 | year in review

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

An important role of the Ombudsman is to foster good public administration. A principal way of doing this is to make suggestions and recommendations to agencies, to initiate and conduct own motion investigations so as to foster systemic improvements in public administration and to make submissions to government and parliamentary inquiries.

Through its complaint-handling and investigative work, the Ombudsman's office comes into contact over time with most aspects of Australian Government. As stated in our strategic plan for 2003–04, a distinct role of the Ombudsman is to 'contribute to public discussion on administrative law and public administration' and to 'foster good public administration that is accountable, lawful, fair, transparent and responsive'.

During the year, the Ombudsman released reports on four own motion (or own initiative) investigations related to the Australian Taxation Office, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the Child Support Agency, and the Australian Crime Commission. Under powers conferred by the Complaints (Australian Federal Police) Act 1981 (Complaints Act), Ombudsman staff worked on four special investigations relating to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Two of these investigations will be completed in early 2004–05.

'… the Ombudsman released reports on four own motion (or own initiative) investigations …'

A number of own motion investigations are due to be completed in the coming year. One such investigation is looking at administrative matters relating to the Department of Defence's dealings with people under the age of 18 years. Another is looking at the quality of Freedom of Information processing by Australian Government agencies. To the extent possible, the Ombudsman's reports on own motion investigations are published in full or in an abridged version on our website.

In furthering the objective of fostering good public administration, the Ombudsman made submissions to parliamentary inquiries and commented on a range of administrative practice matters and legislative proposals during the year, including submissions to:

• the Senate Select Committee on Ministerial Discretion in Migration Matters
  
  
• the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, in its Inquiry into the Effectiveness of Australia's Military Justice System
  
  
• the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, in its Inquiry into Human Rights and Good Governance Education in the Asia Pacific Region
  
  
• the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, in its Inquiry into Norfolk Island Governance
  
  
• the Senate Select Committee on Medicare, in its Inquiry into the Medicare Safety Net
  
  
• the Treasury's Discussion Paper on the Review of Aspects of Income Tax Self Assessment
  
  
• the review of Division 11A of Part 1D of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth).