Ombudsman Move Fails

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31866, 19 December 1968, Page 30

Ombudsman Move Fails

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 18. The Opposition in Parliament today unsuccessfully attempted to extend the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman to cover the actions of doctors, dentists and teachers employed by hospital boards and education boards. During the committee stages debate of the Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsman) Amendment Bill, Labour Party speakers described the bill as being not worth a tin of fish and an example of Government win-dow-dressing. The bill, which extends the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction to cover the acts of officers and employees of education and hospital boards, does not cover the activities of doctors, dentists, and teachers employed by such boards. Mr A. H. Nordmeyer (Lab., Island Bay) said that if the Government wanted the Ombudsman to investigate the actions of boards he should be able to enquire into the activities of every servant of the board. Mr Nordmeyer at various times during the debate described the bill as “windowdressing, meaning precisely nothing and not worth a tin of fish.” The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall), on behalf of the Attorney-General (Mr Hanan) said the bill meant a great deal and made a worth-while extension of the Ombudsman’s powers. He said the activities of

doctors and dentists employed by the boards were removed from the scope of the bill because the Ombudsman could not claim competence to judge on matters of professional conduct. As far as teachers were concerned, Mr Marshall said, procedures already existed for the hearing of complaints against them. This safeguarded the right both of teachers and of pupils and their parents. Dr A. M. Finlay (Lab., Waitakere) moved an amendment to the bill seeking to restrict the activities of the Ombudsman to administrative matters but also to include within that sphere the activities

of doctors, dentists and teachers. The amendment was lost on a voice vote, and the bill was committed.