Another Ombudsman needed, says report

Press, 25 July 1985, Page 39

Another Ombudsman needed, says report

PA Wellington Extension of the Official Information Act to cover universities and education and hospital boards supports the case for a third Ombudsman, says the Chief Ombudsman, Mr Lester Castle. The first six months of the year had brought no relief from the pressures under which the office had been working for too long, Mr Castle said in his report for the year to March 1985, tabled in Parliament by the Speaker, Dr Wall, yesterday. After 14 months experience with the additional jurisdiction under the Official Information Act, no approvals for an increase in staff, and no drop in the number of complaints, it was “little wonder’ there had been a backlog of 652 uncompleted investigations on his appointment as Chief

Ombudsman last October, Mr Castle said. The figure was unacceptable, he said, and noting that in his previous report he had referred to his workload being unreasonable, unjust, and oppressive. The position had now been improved by the hiring of three additional investigating staff, and the appointment of a second Ombudsman, the former Secretary of Justice, Mr John Robertson. “The appointment of a third Ombudsman is still under consideration,” said Mr Castle. “If additional organisations, such as universities, education and hospital boards, are brought within the ambit of the Official Information Act, added weight will be given to the already well founded case for such an appointment.” Mr Castle said long delays and consequential frus-

trations did nothing for the image of his office. “It is to the credit of a dedicated staff that the office has been able to maintain a reasonable credibility throughout a difficult and overburdened 12 months,” he said. The two Ombudsmen and their staff considered 2447 complaints under the Ombudsmen Act, and 575 complaints under the Official Information Act, during the year. Of that number, 949 were fully investigated or resolved in the course of investigation under the Ombudsmen Act, and 397 under the Information Act. Carryover figures of 437 and 136, respectively, represented complaints still being investigated. “It is little wonder then that I have been unable to attend any meetings of the Human Rights Commission,” said Mr Castle.