The Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman has issued a factsheet on the extent of implementation of its recommendations by Government Agencies.
In its publication Recommendations Implementation Report Factsheet the Office says it periodically publishes reports to ensure Agencies take action to address areas of improvement identified in past Ombudsman reports.
The factsheet says the process usually involves the Ombudsman writing to Agency heads requesting evidence of the recommendations being implemented.
“The Ombudsman will generally ask Agencies to complete a self-assessment template and return it to the Office, along with any relevant supporting documentation,” the factsheet says.
“Agencies should complete the self-assessment template provided with an explanation of the steps taken, or proposed to be taken, to implement the recommendation,” it said.
“The explanation should be factual and in plain English.”
It said that supporting documentation and evidence should be provided where possible.
“The self-assessment template would ask Agencies about the implementation status of all the recommendations made in the original investigation report,” the factsheet says.
“If an Agency did not accept a recommendation but has nonetheless taken steps to implement changes that go to the intent of the original recommendation, we would like to see this,” it says.
“If an Agency has not taken steps to implement a recommendation it previously accepted, an explanation with full reasons should be provided.”
The two-page Ombudsman’s Office’ factsheet can be accessed at this PS News link.
