Annual Report 2017-2018 OmbudsmanNT
Tabled paper 934
Tabled Papers for 13th Assembly 2016 - 2020; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2018-10-31
Deemed
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
76 CHAPTER 8 OUR OFFICE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE Under the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman is independent of Government in relation to complaints and investigations (section 12). However, for administrative purposes, the Ombudsmans Office is an Agency under the administrative responsibility of the Chief Minister and the Ombudsman is the Chief Executive Officer of the Agency. This means that under the Financial Management Act, the Ombudsman is the Accountable Officer for the Ombudsmans Office, and has responsibility for the efficient, effective and economic conduct of the Office. It also means that the Ombudsman has responsibilities as a Chief Executive Officer under the Public Sector Employment and Management Act (PSEMA). The Statement of Accountable Officer is on the first page of the Financial Statements for 2017/18, which form Appendix B to this Report. The Ombudsman NT Strategic Plan provides guidance and a general framework for strategic operations and annual business planning. A copy of the current Strategic Plan is available online at: http://www.ombudsman.nt.gov.au/about-us/our-policies/. Within the constraints of available resources and in alignment with the strategic and business plans, financial planning is undertaken and an annual budget prepared at the start of each financial year. Monthly Staff, Management Board and Complaints Management meetings are held to facilitate the administration of the Office and monitor progress against budget, strategic and business plans. Weekly Senior Management Group meetings are also held to update current projects and facilitate open communication and discussion within the management team. OUR STAFF The staffing structure for the Office as at 30 June 2018 was as outlined below, although there was some variation at the time due to absences and vacancies. Position Title Level Number Status Ombudsman ECO5 1 Statutory appointment Deputy Ombudsman ECO2 1 Executive Contract Assistant Ombudsman SAO2 1 Ongoing Senior Investigation Officer AO7 4 2 Ongoing, 2 Fixed period Investigation Officer AO5 1 1 Ongoing Resolution Officer AO4 3 2 Ongoing, 1 Fixed period Business Manager SAO1 1 Ongoing Business Support Officer AO4 1 Fixed period In order to aid the Business Support Unit (BSU) in the conduct of corporate and administrative duties, Resolution Officers provide additional administrative assistance as required. In turn, BSU staff assist Resolution Officers from time to time by taking initial calls from enquirers. This provides a broader skill base in a small office to deal with scheduled and unexpected absences and peaks in demand. It also adds substantially to the professional development and flexibility of the staff concerned. http://www.ombudsman.nt.gov.au/about-us/our-policies/