[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Deputy Ombudsman Position Must be Funded_N McKim MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

CALL FOR DEPUTY OMBUDSMAN POSITION MUST BE MET

As Ombudsman's Annual Report Reveals Labor Rejected Request Without
Explanation

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

Thursday, 20 November 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today supported the Ombudsman, Mr Simon Allston, in
his call for a funded Deputy Ombudsman position which the Ombudsman
Tasmania Annual Report 2007-08 reveals the Labor government had knocked
back without explanation. [i]

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that the Attorney-General, Lara
Giddings, must explain fully the basis on which the government rejected
the Ombudsman's funding application for a Deputy position, and offer a
guarantee that the proposal will be implemented in the coming State
Budget.

Mr McKim also pointed out that the Ombudsman has proposed creating the
Deputy position as a mechanism by which to rearrange resourcing to
facilitate the establishment of an investigations unit within his office
in order to conduct major investigations which the Ombudsman currently
does not have the time or resources to do.

"The Ombudsman makes it quite clear in his Annual Report that his
request for additional funding to establish  a Deputy Ombudsman position
would assist in the establishment of an investigation unit by the
freeing up of one senior salary," Mr McKim said.

"The Ombudsman does have a responsibility to conduct major
investigations into matters arising from his jurisdictions, and it is of
serious concern to learn that Mr Allston and his team are constrained
from fulfilling this responsibility due to high workloads and inadequate
resourcing."

"Mr Allston has proposed that the establishment of a separate
investigation unit within his office would assist in dealing with major
investigations arising and that the creation of a Deputy Ombudsman
position would help  manage workload and resourcing, which all sounds
very reasonable."

"In contrast, the government rejecting such an application without
reason appears unreasonable."

"Labor has repeatedly pointed to the Ombudsman's Office as an example of
an independent oversight body whenever the call for an ICAC-style body
is made, yet it is now evident that the government is happy to leave
this Office struggling under a huge workload and to also reject
proposals that would improve the Office's ability to fulfil its
independent oversight functions." 

Mr McKim has also called for Labor to provide the additional funding
that was requested to help meet the recurrent costs associated with the
Ombudsman Office's new case management database, which had been rejected
by the government as well.


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[i] Ombudsman Tasmania Annual Report 2007-08; page 6.




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