Growing demand for Ombudsman's services

Growing demand for Ombudsman’s services, report shows
15 October 2015

Growing demand for Ombudsman's services

In Dame Beverley Wakem’s last full year in office as Chief Ombudsman, the public has shown increasing confidence in seeking independent redress through the Office of the Ombudsman.

In the 2014/15 year, the Office received the second highest amount of work ever, with 10% more work received than in the previous year. Despite this, the Office still completed 92% of complaints and other work within 6 months.

In the Office’s annual report tabled in Parliament today, Chief Ombudsman Dame Beverley Wakem reported that the office received 12,151 complaints and other work in the 2014/2015 year.

“This volume of work is second only to the financial year following the Christchurch earthquake, where complaints and other work hit an all time high of 13,684.

“The increase in this reporting year was not prompted by a specific event. Instead it reflects the confidence the public have in the Office to assist them in seeking justice or accessing information that they have been unable to achieve themselves,” Dame Beverley says.

Despite the increased workload, the Office of the Ombudsman completed 11,964 complaints and other work, a four percent increase on the previous year.

“The fact that our team has continued to get results for the public despite an increase in workload, and has also reduced the time it is taking the Office to complete work is very satisfying,” she says.

The Office has also updated its own performance targets in terms of the time it takes to complete complaints, and the total number of complaints and other work completed measured against the number received each year.

“This year we have been unable to meet current timeliness targets for completed complaints due to the volume of work on hand. In particular the pressure point was on priority investigations, where a loss of senior experienced staff and an increase in the number of complex official information complaints, meant we did not complete most of our priority investigations within our target timeframe of six months.” However, overall the Office significantly improved the age profile of all work on hand, as well as work completed during the year, and completed 92% of all complaints and other work within six months.

Dame Beverley also says the four percent increase in completed work this year reflects the effort the Office is making to improve the speed at which it completes its work.

“What is also very pleasing is the quality of our work is being maintained. We piloted this year a formal quality assurance programme, which reviewed work completed by staff and found staff were meeting quality standards in all areas other than timeliness.”

Dame Beverley, who is retiring as Chief Ombudsman this year, says the Office is well positioned for the future. It is stronger and more resilient, and its systems and practices stand in comparison with the best the rest of the world has to offer.

Most importantly it continues to provide a valuable avenue of redress for New Zealanders seeking to ensure their rights and entitlements are upheld.

“This is not a job for the faint hearted. We deal with people who have exhausted themselves trying to access information or seek justice, or need our services to put something right. They are often angry and distressed. But we must never forget that we are here to assist them and to try to improve good administrative conduct and decision making capabilities across the wider state sector.”

Judge Peter Boshier will take up the role of Chief Ombudsman upon Dame Beverley’s retirement.

Ends

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