The Commonwealth Ombudsman has released a report on the degree of implementation Departments and Agencies have greeted his recommendations with following investigation reports in recent years.
The Ombudsman, Michael Manthorpe (pictured) said he was pleased to find that the majority of his recommendations had been fully or partially implemented.
Mr Manthorpe’s report Did they do what they said they would? Reviewing our Recommendations, contains the results of his Office’s investigation following recommendations made in seven reports published over a two-year period from July 2017.
“We looked at what actions had been taken to implement the recommendations,” Mr Manthorpe said.
“Making enduring improvement in public administration is often painstaking and far from glamorous. My recommendations typically focus on the nuts and bolts of program delivery.”
He said however that the nuts and bolts mattered “going as they do to the success or otherwise of countless day-to-day interactions between members of the public and Government”.
“Often these interactions impact upon vulnerable people in serious ways” he said.
Mr Manthorpe said a total of 61 recommendations were made across a broad range of issues including the administration of the National Disability Insurance Scheme; assessment of Australian citizenship applications; detention of Australian citizens; health insurance policy changes; and decision-making at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
“I am pleased to report that all Agencies have made significant progress toward implementing these recommendations,” the Ombudsman said.
“‘Of the 55 recommendations accepted, 54 have either been fully or partially implemented.”
The Ombudsman’s 43-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
