Education events & resources
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Upcoming Events - Complaint Handling Forum 2024
We are currently developing the program for 2024 and will release more details soon to the Complaint Handling Forum page and via @CwealthOmb
The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s 2023 Complaint Handling Forum took place from 6 to 9 June 2023. View the 2023 program.
Useful Resources
- Visit our Publications page
- Download our Complaint Handling Better Practice Guides
- Read our Insights reports
Public Interest Disclosure e-learning
The Public Interest Disclosure (PID) e-learning will teach you about what a PID is, how you can make one, the protections that are available to disclosers and the process of a PID investigation. View the e-learning module.
If your agency would like to use the PID e-learning module as a part of your educational tools we suggest you talk to your LMS administrator to ensure the correct publishing standard of the module is selected for downloading. The following options are available:
Previous events
Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference (APSACC) 2017
The Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman is proud to partner with the Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference (APSACC) 2017. The biennial conference is an opportunity to focus on innovations, strategies and future directions in preventing corruption, and to network with international public sector peers and leaders.
The conference will run from 14–16 November 2017 at The Westin, Sydney.
To find out more, and to take advantage of the early bird discount, visit the APSACC website.
18-19 March 2010: Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Regional Conference
About 40 ombudsmen or their equivalents and other colleagues from around the Asia–Pacific met in Canberra, Australia on 18 and 19 March to promote international engagement, liaison and best practice in the pursuit of good governance within our region.
The Australian Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman hosted the important event—the 1st general meeting of the Pacific Ombudsman Alliance (POA) and the 25th anniversary conference of the Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Region (APOR).
Defence Watchdogs: the administrative oversight of military justice
Friday, 5 December 2008 was the 25th anniversary of the start of the Defence Force Ombudsman. To mark this milestone, a seminar titled Defence Watchdogs: the administrative oversight of military justice was held on 26 November 2008 at the Australian War Memorial. The seminar was hosted by three watchdogs: the Defence Force Ombudsman, the Australian Centre for Military Law and Justice (ANU) and the Inspector General of the Australian Defence Force.
Speakers at the seminar included the Hon. Warren Snowdon, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel; Senator Mark Bishop, the Chair of the Senate Committee for Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade, and Lieutenant General Peter Leahy, former Chief of Army.
Some of the speeches and presentations from the seminar are reproduced below.
- Administrative law as it affects commisions of inquiry
Andrew Kirkham, AM RFD QC - Administrative Oversight of Military Justice
Senator Mark Bishop, Chair of the Senate Committee for Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade - Defence watchdogs seminar: Administrative Oversight of Military Justice
Mr Geoff Earley, AM, Inspector General Australian Defence Force - Military Administrative Inquiries
Professor Robin Creyke, Director of the Australian Centre for Military Law and Justice - Presentation slides from the seminar
The complaints; what we do with them; why Defence is different; why the DFO is a good thing - Twenty-Five years of the Defence Force Ombudsman
Prof. John McMillan, Commonwealth and Defence Force Ombudsman - Defence Force Ombudsman - Twenty-five years of service
Report, December 2009
Improving administration: the next 30 years - Complaint handling, investigation and good administration
On 9 August 2007, a one-day seminar was held as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The seminar was titled Improving administration: the next 30 years - Complaint handling, investigation and good administration.
Senior representatives from the public and private sectors gathered to discuss and debate current and emerging issues in complaint handling and ombudsman oversight of administration.
Speeches and presentations from the seminar are reproduced below.
- Practical Issues of Effective Investigation
Bruce Barbour, New South Wales Ombudsman - The use of investigative planning in complex investigations
David Bevan, Queensland Ombudsman - Corruption, Maladministration and the Ombudsman in 30 Years - Five Predictions
Dr A J Brown, Socio-Legal Research Centre, Griffith Law School - Principles of Effective Complaint Handling
Bill Dee, Director, Compliance and Complaints Advisory Services - Reaching your target audience - the principles of effective complaints handling
Hank Jongen, General Manager, Communications, Centrelink - Thirty years of complaint handling - what have we learnt?
Prof. John McMillan, Commonwealth Ombudsman - Lessons from a public and private divide
Colin Neave, Chair, Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council - Investigating corruption
Robert Needham, Chairman, Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission - Principles of effective complaints handling
Julia Neville, Assistant Commissioner, Australian Taxation Office - Lessons from the public and private Ombudsman divide
Deirdre O’Donnell, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman - Reaching our target audience - making the Ombudsman more accessible
Clare Petre, Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW - Complaint handling in Small Agencies
Brett Phillips, Executive Director, Office of Regulatory Services - Presentation to Commonwealth Ombudsman's 30th Anniversary Dinner
Andrew Podger, IPAA National President - At Least Every Three Decades - acknowledging the beneficial role of the Commonwealth Ombudsman
Dr Peter Shergold, Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet - Maintaining accountability and transparency in e-government PLUS (slides)
Kayelle Wiltshire, Australian Government Information Management Office - Maintaining transparency and accountability in e-government: some challenges for investigators, administrators and consumers
John Wood, Member, Access Card, Consumer and Privacy Taskforce