Team features

corporate support

Finance Team

The Finance Team is located in the Canberra office and comprises two staff. Team members are responsible for budgets, procurement and contract administration, business procedures, coordinating Senate reporting and supporting the office's Audit Committee.

The Team also oversee the office's outsourced finance function handled by Duesburys Chartered Accountants, who carry out accounting operations and financial administration, including taxation and most financial reporting for the office. In 2003–04, Walter Turnbull conducted most of the office's internal compliance and business audits and reviews.

Human Resource Management, Records Management and Support Services Team

The Human Resource Management, Records Management and Support Services Team of four provides advice and services to management and employees. This relates to pay and conditions, recruitment, training and development, occupational health and safety, workplace diversity, workplace relations, records management practices and procedures, office services and facilities management to underpin the Ombudsman's objectives.

The training programs coordinated by the team on introductory and advanced investigations are attended by staff from other government agencies, and from Ombudsman offices in Australia and the Asia–Pacific region.

Executive Team

The Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman discharge a large number of managerial and statutory responsibilities imposed by the Ombudsman Act and other legislation and executive directives. Together with their Executive Assistants, they constitute an Executive Team that provides direction and assistance to the office as a whole on matters such as drafting, presentation and preparation of reports and correspondence, managing the flow of correspondence, providing national coordination of meetings and telephone conference discussions between our eight offices, and liaising with State and International Ombudsman offices and key agencies.

Legal and Policy Team

The Director of Legal and Policy and a part-time Freedom of Information officer provide the Ombudsman's legal and policy advice. The expertise of Ombudsman investigation staff with legal qualifications is also drawn upon.

The Director provides in-house legal advice to investigators and managers, handles the office's responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, the Privacy Act 1988 and other administrative law and information access legislation, and provides or arranges representation in tribunals and courts.

Legal and Policy supports the Ombudsman, investigation and corporate staff by providing research and guidance. The team is also the first point of contact on policy and legislation issues affecting the Ombudsman, deals with FOI and external review, and advises on proposals affecting the office's work.