This investigation was prompted by 124 complaints received by the Ombudsman’s office about Centrelink’s administration of the activity test requirements following the implementation of Welfare to Work reforms on 1 July 2006. The report was critical of the practice of stopping a person’s welfare payment before a decision was made about whether or not a...

This report deals with the Department of Immigration’s (DIAC) obligation to provide an unsuccessful visa applicant with a letter that clearly explains the decision and information about DIAC’s notification of adverse decisions was not well coordinated or consistent. There was variation in the quality of notification letters, many of which fell short of best practice...

This report sets out to improve the Ombudsman’s handling of complaints about courts and tribunals; give courts and tribunals a clearer understanding of the Ombudsman’s role; improve public understanding of the role of the Ombudsman in relation to courts and tribunals; and improve understanding of the complaint mechanisms available in the courts and tribunals themselves...

In 2005 and 2006 the Australian Government asked the Ombudsman to investigate 247 immigration detention cases. Eight published reports contain the results of those investigations. The purpose of this new report is to draw together ten lessons from the referred immigration reports that are relevant to all areas of government. The administrative problems and errors...

In 2005 and 2006, the Australian Government referred to the Commonwealth Ombudsman the cases of 247 people who had been detained by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and later released on the basis that they could not be detained any longer as an unlawful non-citizen. The Ombudsman’s office agreed to investigate and report...