CHAPTER 7 | problem areas in government decision making

Introduction

The central purpose of complaint handling is to resolve the particular grievance at hand, but that is only part of the function. Complaints about a government service or program can typify a more systemic difficulty, which affects many other people. It is therefore generally accepted within government—especially within agencies with a large service-delivery role—that complaint handling is an integral and valuable function of an agency. Dealing with problems can provide valuable intelligence not only on how a program is operating, but also on areas of potential difficulty.

External complaint handling by agencies such as the Ombudsman is part of a continuous loop of organisational learning from experience. There can also be added insight from external complaint handling, when problems arising across government come to notice. Difficulties faced by people in one area of government are often faced in other areas.

'… complaint handling is an integral and valuable function of an agency.'

From year to year, the Ombudsman's office has sought to draw attention to these general problem areas in government decision making that invite a general response. Issues that have been taken up in previous annual and special reports of the Ombudsman are the need for improvement in internal complaint handling, recording oral advice to the public, and paying compensation for defective administration.

This report takes up a few problem areas identified in the course of complaint handling and investigation during 2003–04. The way these problems manifest can vary from agency to agency, yet they remain issues of concern. The Ombudsman's office will continue to pay special attention to these issues in 2004–05.