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
88 On being advised of a complaint, the CRP Officer is to determine whether the conduct complained about comes within one of the authorised categories. If the matter is appropriate to be dealt with as a CRP and is capable of being immediately resolved the CRP Officer is to: (a) ensure reasonable steps have been, or are being, taken to preserve evidence; (b) ensure the complainant is clearly identified on the CRP Form; (c) personally contact the complainant (if not present) within twenty four (24) hours if possible; (d) explain the CRP as well as the formal investigation process to the complainant; (e) ask the complainant's view on the outcome he / she expects; (f) obtain the complainant's agreement to the matter being informally resolved. The CRP is a voluntary process and if the complainant does not agree, the process should not be commenced; (g) contact the member(s) involved, advise the details and explain the CRP process. Ensure the member(s) are aware of the no-blame procedure and invite an explanation; and (h) attempt to settle the issues arising out of the complaint. To do so it may be appropriate for the CRP Officer to arrange a meeting between the complainant and the member(s) concerned. A CRP Officer has a large degree of flexibility available to them in order to manage the CRP complaint. For example, it is not necessary for sworn statements or records of interview to be taken in support of the investigation, unless the CRP Officer establishes the complaint is unlikely to be resolved. 11.4 Successfully Completed CRP If the complainant is satisfied with the process, the CRP Officer is to record the details of the complaint and mark that the complaint was successfully resolved on the CRP Form. The CRP may be resolved through the following means, the details of which are to be included in the CRP Form: (a) remedial advice given to member(s) complainant satisfied; (b) apology given to complainant complainant satisfied. Generally an apology may be offered personally by the member or on behalf of the member through the CRP Officer. A personal apology can only be offered where the member gives consent; (c) action taken by NT Police Force explained to the satisfaction of the complainant; (d) acknowledgement by complainant where, on enquiry, the complainant accepts error or misunderstanding made by himself / herself; (e) complainant satisfied for the matter to be brought to the attention of the member(s) concerned; (f) complainant and member(s) fail to agree on subject of complaint but complainant satisfied that everything possible has been done to resolve the matter; and/or (g) complainant was offered and accepted reimbursement for minor expenses, i.e. dry cleaning of clothes, etc. Proof of the outcome agreed upon by the complainant is to be provided (for example, by signature, email or some other form of proof). On completion of the CRP, the CRP Officer is to identify any outstanding issues of concern which arise from the enquiries made. Those issues are to be identified on the CRP Form. Where issues are within the responsibility of the CRP Officer he / she is to take the necessary steps to address those issues.