Victorian Current Acts

OMBUDSMAN ACT 1973

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

   1.      Short title and commencement  
   2.      Definitions  
   2A.     Objectives  

   PART II--THE OMBUDSMAN

   3.      Appointment of Ombudsman  
   4.      Suspension of Ombudsman  
   5.      Salary, allowances and leave of absence  
   6.      Acting Ombudsman  
   7.      Staff  
   8.      Application of Public Administration Act 2004  
   9.      Superannuation  
   10.     Oath or affirmation  
   11.     Delegation  
   12.     Restriction on other employment  

   PART III--FUNCTIONS AND JURISDICTION OF THE OMBUDSMAN

   13.     Principal functions of the Ombudsman  
   13AA.   Other functions of the Ombudsman  
   13AB.   Ombudsman not to prejudice legal proceedings or investigations  
   13AC.   Court Services Victoria  

   PART IIIA--ENQUIRIES

   13A.    Conducting of enquiries  
   13B.    Communication of information to complainant  

   PART IIIAB--REVIEW OF COMPLAINT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES

   13C.    Application of Part  
   13D.    Review of complaint practices and procedures of an authority  

   PART IIIAC--ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINTS

   13E.    Definition  
   13F.    Application of Part  
   13G.    Alternative dispute resolution of complaints  
   13H.    Outcome of alternative dispute resolution  

   PART IV--INVESTIGATIONS

           Division 1--Complaints generally

   14.     Making a complaint  
   15.     How the Ombudsman is to deal with certain complaints  
   15A.    Ombudsman may refuse to deal with certain complaints  
   15B.    Investigation of complaints  

           Division 1A--Public interest complaints

   15C.    Ombudsman must investigate public interest complaints  
   15D.    Ombudsman must refuse to investigate certain public interest complaints  
   15E.    Ombudsman may refuse to investigate certain public interest complaints  
   15F.    Person who made public interest complaint to be informed of refusal to investigate  

           Division 2--Parliamentary complaints

   16.     Investigations referred by Parliament  

           Division 2A--Own motion investigations

   16A.    Ombudsman may conduct own motion investigation  

           Division 2B--Referred complaints and matters

   16B.    What are referred complaints and referred matters?  
   16C.    Dealing with referred complaints  
   16D.    Dealing with referred matters  

           Division 2C--Mandatory notifications by the Ombudsman

   16E.    Notification to IBAC  
   16F.    Notification to Victorian Inspectorate  
   16G.    Notification to Information Commissioner  

           Division 2D--Referrals by the Ombudsman

   16H.    Application of Division  
   16I.    Ombudsman may refer complaints  
   16IA.   Ombudsman may refer a complaint to an authority  
   16J.    Notice of referral  
   16K.    Consultation prior to referral  

           Division 3--Conduct of investigations

   17.     Procedure relating to investigations  
   18.     Witness summons  
   18A.    Service of witness summons  
   18B.    Variation or revocation of witness summons  
   18C.    Supreme Court may order service by other means  
   18D.    Ombudsman to report to Victorian Inspectorate on issue of witness summons  
   18E.    Witness summons directed to person under 16 years  
   18F.    Power to take evidence on oath or affirmation  
   18G.    Offence to fail to comply with a witness summons  
   18H.    Offence to fail to take oath, make affirmation or answer question  
   18I.    Failure to comply with witness summons  
   18J.    Ombudsman may take statutory declaration  
   18K.    Privileges in relation to witness summons and investigations  
   18L.    Offence for employers to take detrimental action against employees  
   18M.    Legal advice and representation  
   18N.    Advance notice for voluntary appearances  
   18O.    Voluntary appearance of person under age of 16 years but of or over 10 years  
   18P.    Further provisions relating to appearances  
   18Q.    Audio or video recording of compulsory appearances  
   18R.    Protection of legal practitioners and witnesses at compulsory appearances  
   18S.    Service of documents  
   19.     Deliberations of Ministers and Parliamentary committees not to be disclosed  
   19A.    Cabinet information not to be disclosed—relevant public interest complaints  
   19B.    Deliberations of Parliamentary Committees not to be disclosed—relevant public interest complaints  
   19C.    Conclusive certificates  
   19D.    Disclosure of information subject to legal professional privilege or client legal privilege—relevant public interest complaints  
   20.     Disclosing or taking advantage of information—transitional provision  
   20A.    Communication of information to Commonwealth and State Ombudsmen  
   21.     Entry of premises  
   22.     Obstruction  
   22A.    Act applies equally to attendance in person or by audio or audio visual link  

           Division 4--Action on completion of investigations

   23.     Procedure on completion of investigation  
   23A.    Report on investigation—relevant public interest complaints about members of Parliament  
   24.     Complainant or person who made relevant public interest complaint to be informed of result of investigation  

   PART IVA--BUDGET, ANNUAL PLAN AND PERFORMANCE AUDIT

   24A.    Budget  
   24B.    Annual plan  
   24C.    Transmission of annual plan to Parliament  
   24D.    Independent performance audit  
   24E.    Report of independent performance auditor  

   PART V--ANNUAL AND OTHER REPORTS

   25.     Annual and other reports to Parliament  
   25AA.   Transmission of sections 23(6) and 25 reports to Parliament  
   25AAB.  Advance copy of report to Minister and Secretary to the Department of Premier and Cabinet  
   25AB.   Transmission of section 16 reports  
   25A.    Content of reports  
   25B.    Persons who receive proposed or draft reports or information in them  

   PART VA--CONFIDENTIALITY

           Division 1--Confidentiality requirements for Ombudsman officers

   26A.    Unauthorised disclosure  
   26B.    Taking advantage of information  

           Division 2--Confidentiality notices

   26C.    Confidentiality notice  
   26D.    Extension of confidentiality notice  
   26E.    Ombudsman to provide Victorian Inspectorate with copies  
   26F.    Disclosure subject to confidentiality notice  

   PART VAB--INFORMATION SHARING

   26FB.   Disclosure of information by the Ombudsman  
   26FC.   Disclosure of information for specified purposes  

   PART VB--OVERSIGHT OF THE OMBUDSMAN

   26G.    Oversight by Victorian Inspectorate  
   26H.    Oversight by Integrity and Oversight Committee  
   26I.    Powers and procedures of Integrity and Oversight Committee  

   PART VI--MISCELLANEOUS

   27.     Application to Supreme Court  
   28.     Letters by persons in custody etc. to be forwarded immediately to the Ombudsman  
   29.     Protection of the Ombudsman and officers of the Ombudsman  
   29A.    Exemption from Freedom of Information Act 1982  
   29B.    Evidence  
   30.     Penalties  
   30A.    Supreme Court—limitation of jurisdiction  
   31.     Regulations  
   32.      Administration of Act  

   PART VII--SAVING AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

   33.     Validity of certain actions taken by Ombudsman  
   34.     Transitional provision—complaints under the Freedom of Information Act 1982  
   35.     Transitional provisions—Integrity and Accountability Legislation Amendment Act 2012  
   36.     Transitional provisions—Integrity and Accountability Legislation Amendment (Public Interest Disclosures, Oversight and Independence) Act 2019  
           SCHEDULE 1
           SCHEDULE 2
           SCHEDULE 3
           ENDNOTES