Source: Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has today published his 2023/2024 Annual Report.
“In 2023/24 I completed the highest number of complaints and protected disclosures ever,” Mr Boshier says.
“I completed 6,269 complaints, eight percent more than the number completed last year and 58 percent more than the average number completed in each of the five years prior to the pandemic. I also completed 220 protected disclosures and enquiries, a 159 percent increase from the previous year.
“Both complaints and protected disclosures have been at historically high levels over the last three years, which shows that this sustained high level may be becoming the new normal.”
Mr Boshier also received 38 percent more official information complaints (2,222 complaints) related to both the Official Information Act and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act than the average number received in each of the five years prior to the pandemic.
He also received 98 percent more Ombudsmen Act (OA) complaints than the average number received in each of the five years prior to the pandemic.
The Chief Ombudsman has also made every effort to help improve good practice across government, including in his recommendations to agencies where he has considered it is needed.
“It has been a busy period in other respects as well. Over the past year I have made comment and submissions on 35 legislative, policy, or administrative proposals, provided advice to public sector agencies on 356 occasions and visited 108 places of detention.
“I also published Open for business, a report on my investigation into meeting and workshop practices of eight councils. My call for greater openness and accountability has resonated across the country with a number of councils considering and many changing their meeting policies.
“Another major report was Children in care: complaints to the Ombudsman 2019-2023, which called for the government and Oranga Tamariki to make profound changes to the way the Ministry operates.
“I also continued my community outreach and engagement work which allows me to meet people face-to-face to talk about my work and how I can help them.
“My overall goal is that people are treated fairly. I have continued to work to ensure that the public understands its rights and options, has reasonable expectations about what the public sector should provide, and understands what it can expect from me and my office.”
