The Commonwealth Ombudsman, Prof. John McMillan, announced the release of new websites for the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the ACT Ombudsman functions.

The focus of the new sites is to provide information to our client groups about the role, responsibilities and functions of the office, about the complaints process and what to expect, outcomes of (public) investigations, policies and procedures, and key developments in the function of the office.

The new sites have been designed to provide improved information architecture, navigation and site design. They are built within a content management system to address version control and archiving issues.

Significant additions to the Commonwealth Ombudsman website include:

• a new online complaint form to assist people across Australia to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman if they think they have been treated unfairly, unjustly or in a discriminatory manner by an Australian Government agency
• a general history of the Ombudsman’s office with profiles of each Commonwealth Ombudsman and timelines of legislative changes and responsibilities during their respective periods of office
• listing of publications, some written by Commonwealth Ombudsmen, on the function of the Ombudsman and related issues.

Prof. McMillan said the new websites provide enhanced accessibility and functionality for users. ‘Redevelopment of the websites has been a major project for the office, and I am delighted with the end result.’

The new websites replace the original Ombudsman sites, which were developed in 1999.

A small website has also been developed for the Postal Industry Ombudsman function to complement the Commonwealth Ombudsman site.

See new sites at:
www.ombudsman.gov.au
www.ombudsman.act.gov.au
www.pio.gov.au

Date of release: 27 April 2006