New South Wales Consolidated Acts

OMBUDSMAN ACT 1974 - SECT 31B

31B Functions

(1) The Joint Committee has the following functions under this Act:

(a) to monitor and to review the exercise by the Ombudsman of the Ombudsman’s functions under this or any other Act,

(b) to report to both Houses of Parliament, with such comments as it thinks fit, on any matter appertaining to the Ombudsman or connected with the exercise of the Ombudsman’s functions to which, in the opinion of the Joint Committee, the attention of Parliament should be directed,

(c) to examine each annual and other report made by the Ombudsman, and presented to Parliament, under this or any other Act and to report to both Houses of Parliament on any matter appearing in, or arising out of, any such report,

(d) to report to both Houses of Parliament any change that the Joint Committee considers desirable to the functions, structures and procedures of the Office of the Ombudsman,

(e) to inquire into any question in connection with the Joint Committee’s functions which is referred to it by both Houses of Parliament, and to report to both Houses on that question.

(2) Nothing in this Part authorises the Joint Committee:

(a) to investigate a matter relating to particular conduct, or

(b) to reconsider a decision to investigate, not to investigate or to discontinue investigation of a particular complaint, or

(c) to exercise any function referred to in subsection (1) in relation to any report under section 27, or

(d) to reconsider the findings, recommendations, determinations or other decisions of the Ombudsman, or of any other person, in relation to a particular investigation or complaint or in relation to any particular conduct the subject of a report under section 27, or

(e) to exercise any function referred to in subsection (1) in relation to the Ombudsman’s functions under the Telecommunications (Interception) (New South Wales) Act 1987 .

(3) The functions of the Joint Committee may be exercised in respect of matters occurring before or after the commencement of this section.