Office of the Ombudsmen

OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMEN
An Ombudsman is an independent investigator who:
- investigates complaints about the administrative acts and decisions of central and local government agencies;
- investigates complaints about the decisions of Ministers of the Crown and central and local government agencies on requests for official information;
- provides information and guidance to employees who wish to report serious wrong-doing in their workplace ('whistle-blowing') and is one of the authorities to whom serious wrong-doing can be reported.

"Central government agencies" include agencies (such as government departments and statutory bodies) responsible for benefit payments, housing, health, immigration, passports, accident compensation, prisons, education, taxation and child support and many others.

"Local government agencies" include agencies (such as regional, city and district councils) responsible for roads, drainage, nuisance, animal control, planning and resource and building consents.

Ombudsmen are independent Officers of Parliament who investigate complaints against central and local government agencies (including, in the case of the official information legislation, Ministers of the Crown). An Ombudsman's investigation is free and is conducted in private.

The functions and powers of the Ombudsmen are set out in four pieces of legislation:
- The Ombudsmen Act 1975
- The Official Information Act 1982
- The Protected Disclosures Act 2000
- Local Gov. Offic. Info/Meetings Act 198

Pamphlets
The following pamphlets about the Ombudsmen's work are available on our website www.ombudsmen.govt.nz:
- Making complaints about government agencies
- Making requests for Official Information
- A guide to the Protected Disclosures Act
- Making complaints about the Prison Service - A guide for prison inmates wanting to make a complaint to the Ombudsmen
- Making complaints about Tertiary Education

Trade Category
Ombudsmen