The role of Ombudsman Western Australia
Our role is to investigate and resolve complaints that are within our jurisdiction and use the outcomes to help improve public services.
The Ombudsman reports directly to the Parliament of Western Australia.
Mission
To assist the Parliament of Western Australia to be confident that the public sector of the State is accountable for, and is improving the standard of, administrative decision making, practices and conduct.
Main functions
- To assist Western Australians to resolve complaints with State public sector agencies, statutory authorities, local governments and public universities
- To initiate investigations into certain activities of State public sector agencies, statutory authorities, local governments and public universities, even when no specific complaint has been received
- To help those agencies be accountable for and to improve the standard of their administrative decision-making practices and conduct.
Our role
- Provide an effective and efficient system for handling and resolving complaints about the administrative practices of State public sector agencies
- Act as an agent for systemic change in the public sector by identifying the causes of problems and making recommendations for changes to procedures, practices, policies or legislation which will prevent similar problems occurring
- Encourage public sector agencies to have their own effective internal complaint-handling systems. Complaints are one of the best sources of feedback for agencies and feedback can be used to improve the way they do things.
