CONTENTS

Transmittal letter

Foreword

Overview
1. Ombudsman's review
Introduction
Complaint and inspections workload
Financial performance
Public administration
Developing role of the Ombudsman
International cooperation
Key strategic achievements
Challenges
The year ahead

2. The organisation
History and establishment
Role and functions
Organisation and structure
Outcome and output structure

Performace review
3. Performance report
Introduction
Performance at a glance
Output 1—Review of
    administrative action
Output 2—Review of statutory
    compliance in specified areas

4. Management and accountability
Corporate governance
External scrutiny
People management
Financial management
Information technology

5. Challenges in complaint handling
Introduction
Public contact
Work practice changes
Data management
Referrals to agencies
Outreach into regional areas
Service delivery to
    Indigenous Australians
Difficult or unreasonable
     conduct by complainants

6. Promoting good administration
Introduction
Submissions, reviews and research
Cooperation with other
    oversight agencies
Own motion and major investigations
International cooperation and
    regional support
Cooperation among
    Australian Ombudsmen

Oversight of Australian
Government agencies
7. Looking at the agencies
Introduction
Australia Post
Australian Taxation Office
Centrelink
Child Support Agency
Defence
Immigration
Law enforcement
Other agencies
Freedom of information

8. How the Ombudsman helped people
Pinpointing the issue in dispute
Dealing with urgent and pressing issues
Detoxifying the relationship
Placing an item on the legislative
    or policy agenda
Surmounting barriers

9. Problem areas in government
    decision making
Introduction
Administrative irritants
Complexity
Administrative drift
Unhelpful legalism
Other issues

Features
Public contact—consistency
    in approach
ANZOA—cooperation among
    Australian and New Zealand
    Ombudsmen
International program—Indonesia
    and Thailand regional cooperation
International program—Pacific
    islands regional strengthening
Security legislation review
Reaching rural and
    regional Australia
Research project—whistling
    while they work

Appendixes
1 Occupational health and safety
2 Freedom of information statement
3 Papers and presentations by staff
4 Statistics
5 Consultancy services
6 Financial statements

References
List of tables and figures
Glossary
Compliance index
Contacts