Annual Report 2017-2018 OmbudsmanNT
Tabled paper 934
Tabled Papers for 13th Assembly 2016 - 2020; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2018-10-31
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Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/304663
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/363371
11 There were fewer complaints during the reporting period and many of the applications that gave rise to complaints have now been finalised. CVSU has made structural improvements and streamlined processes. There has also been a notable improvement in NT Police response times for provision of information. These enhancements are illustrated by the increase in the number of decisions made. In 2016/17 there were 213 decisions made under the Act resulting in $1.134m paid out to victims. In 2017/18 this increased to 383 decisions with $2.783m paid to victims. Inroads have also been made into the oldest applications in the backlog. An internal audit of the CVSU commissioned by AGD has made a number of recommendations for enhancement of structure and processes. These are currently being considered for implementation. My Office has been given a copy of the audit report and is provided with quarterly updates of progress in resolution of applications involving Ombudsman complaints and the backlog generally. We will continue to meet regularly with the CVSU Director to monitor progress. Even so, I believe that there is merit in reviewing the entire structure of the scheme with a view to enhancing timeliness and meeting the immediate needs of victims. CORRECTIONAL SERVICES My Office continued a focus on correctional services during the year, including: monitoring implementation of Women in Prison II recommendations (see Chapter 4); pursuing improvements to the monitoring and review of critical incidents and use of force; reviewing the interaction between police and correctional officers in relation to incidents that occur in correctional facilities; reviewing interaction between police and correctional officers in relation to the health and care of people in custody; reviewing the utilisation of CCTV cameras at the Darwin Correctional Precinct; reviewing aspects of the Integrated Offender Management System.