Community Accessibility

Hearing Impaired Access

The Ombudsman’s office’s enquiry service is accessible to those with hearing impairments through a national relay service.

TTY or modem users phone 133 677 and quote 9220 7555.

Voice-only (speak and listen) users phone 1300 555 727 and quote 9220 7555.

SMS Relay users text 0423 677 767 and quote 9220 7588.

Use this link to Make an Internet Relay Call and quote 08 9220 7555.

For more information about the National Relay Service, click here to go the Australian Government website.

Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

The Ombudsman is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as other people to access the services, facilities and information of the Ombudsman’s office.  This includes both service delivery and employment.

The office's Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) outlines our approach to improving access for people with a disability.

(To read this pdf document, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free from Adobe at https://get.adobe.com/reader/.)

The Ombudsman welcomes feedback on the Ombudsman DAIP, particularly from those who have accessed or are likely to access information and services from the organisation. Comments will inform the ongoing management of the plan and the development of revised plans over time.

Please contact the Communications Manager on 9220 7555 if you require a copy of the DAIP in an alternative format.

Comments on the DAIP may be provided in writing via communications@ombudsman.wa.gov.au or to the Communications Manager, PO Box Z5386 St Georges Terrace PERTH WA 6831.

Aboriginal Complainant Accessibility

The office's complaint handling officers are trained in cultural awareness and cross-cultural communications, however we may also engage the assistance of representatives and interpreter/translation services to assist Aboriginal complainants if required.

We accept complaints from representatives and translation services on behalf of non-English speaking and Aboriginal complainants.

Regional Accessibility

The Office provides a toll free phone number - 1800 117 000 - for country callers.

One of the office’s strategic priorities for 2008-09 and beyond is increasing our accessibility and awareness to regional Western Australians.

We have implemented the regional visits program to assist in improving our communications and access to regional areas. See the Regional Accessibility and Awareness Program page for more information.

Young People

Our complaints handling officers are trained and experienced to communicate with young people.

We accept complaints on behalf of children and young people from representatives such as parents, guardians and teachers.

We respond to all complaints promptly, give regular updates and explain everything in clear and simple terms.

See the Children and Young People page for more information.

People from culturally diverse backgrounds

The office provides an interpreting and translation service on request to assist people from culturally diverse backgrounds to access our services. Alternatively, the office accepts phone calls and correspondence from representatives on behalf of complainants.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship provides the TIS National interpreting service for people who do not speak English and for the English speakers who need to communicate with them. TIS National has more than 30 years of experience in the interpreting industry, and has access to over 1300 contracted interpreters across Australia, speaking more than 120 languages and dialects.

TIS National is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any person or organisation in Australia requiring interpreting services.

The phone number for TIS National is 131 450.

The office also provides information brochures about the Ombudsman and the process for making a complaint to our office in a number of different languages. See the Community Languages page for more information.