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OMBUDSMAN ACT 2009

Table of Provisions

PART 1--PRELIMINARY MATTERS

  • 1 Short title  
  • 2 Commencement  
  • 3 Objects  

PART 2--INTERPRETATION

Division 1--Defined terms

  • 4 Definitions  

Division 2--Basic concepts about public authorities and administrative actions

  • 5 Public authority  
  • 6 Administrative action  

Division 3--Basic concepts about conduct of police officers

  • 7 Conduct of police officer  

Division 4--Criminal responsibility

  • 8 Application of Criminal Code  

PART 3--OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS

Division 1--Office of Ombudsman

  • 9 Ombudsman  

Division 2--Functions and powers

  • 10 Functions  
  • 11 Powers  
  • 12 Independence in relation to complaints and investigations  

PART 4--OMBUDSMAN'S JURISDICTION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND POLICE CONDUCT

  • 13 Interpretation  
  • 14 Matters for investigation  
  • 15 Executive and ministerial matters must not be investigated  
  • 16 What administrative actions may not be investigated  
  • 17 Parliamentary reference of matter for investigation  
  • 18 Ombudsman to deal with complaint referred by complaints entity  
  • 19 Liaison with complaints entity  
  • 20 Application to Supreme Court  

PART 5--COMPLAINTS ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND POLICE CONDUCT

  • 21 Who may make complaint  
  • 22 Complaint for deceased person  
  • 23 Making complaint about administrative action  
  • 24 Making police complaint  
  • 25 When complaint to be made  
  • 26 Prisoner complaints  
  • 27 Effect of restrictive provisions on complaint  

PART 6--ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

Division 1--Preliminary inquiries

  • 28 Preliminary inquiries about administrative action  
  • 29 Principal officer to give help  
  • 30 Request for non-disclosure of information and other things  

Division 2--Decisions about referring and investigating complaints

  • 31 Decision on complaint without investigation  
  • 32 Referral of complaint to complaints entity  
  • 33 When Ombudsman may decline to deal with complaint  
  • 34 Ombudsman need not investigate if investigation by complaints entity  
  • 35 Decisions about investigating if complaint made to public authority  
  • 36 Notice of decision not to investigate  

Division 3--Conciliation and mediation

  • 37 Dealing with complaint by conciliation or mediation  
  • 38 Who can be conciliator or mediator  
  • 39 Objection to conciliator or mediator  
  • 40 Suspending investigation  
  • 41 Participation voluntary  
  • 42 Progress report  
  • 43 Termination  
  • 44 Resolution of complaint  
  • 45 Restricted use of information  
  • 46 Effect of unsuccessful conciliation or mediation  

Division 4--Investigations

Subdivision 1--Procedures
  • 47 Notice of investigation  
  • 48 Conduct of investigation  
  • 49 Procedure generally  
  • 50 Consultation  
  • 51 Hearing for investigation  
    • Subdivision 2--Ombudsman's powers for investigation
  • 52 Requirement to give information, document or thing  
  • 53 Requirement to attend hearing  
  • 54 Investigation at public authority's premises  
  • 55 Ombudsman may issue direction in relation to administrative action  
  • 56 Custody of thing given to Ombudsman  

Division 5--Reports and recommendations on investigations

  • 57 Report to complainant  
  • 58 Report to public authority  
  • 59 Adverse reports  
  • 60 Report of breach of duty or misconduct  
  • 61 Report containing adverse comment  
  • 62 Report may include recommendations  
  • 63 Action after report and recommendations  
  • 64 Ombudsman to inform complainant of action taken  

PART 7--POLICE CONDUCT

Division 1--Preliminary procedures for police complaints

  • 65 Notice of complaint to Ombudsman  
  • 66 Ombudsman to assess and decide how to deal with complaint  

Division 2--Declining to deal with police complaints

  • 67 When Ombudsman may decline to deal with complaint  

Division 3--Conciliation

  • 68 Definition  
  • 69 When police complaint may be dealt with by conciliation  
  • 70 Who can be conciliator  
  • 71 Objection to conciliator  
  • 72 Suspending other police complaint process  
  • 73 Participation voluntary  
  • 74 Progress report  
  • 75 Termination  
  • 76 Report of results of conciliation  
  • 77 Effect of unsuccessful conciliation  

Division 4--Police complaints resolution process and Professional Standards Command investigations

Subdivision 1--Police complaints resolution process
  • 78 When police complaint may be dealt with by resolution process  
  • 79 Conduct and report of resolution process  
    • Subdivision 2--Professional Standards Command investigations
  • 80 When complaint to be investigated by Professional Standards Command  
  • 81 Conduct of investigation  
  • 82 General powers of Professional Standards Command  
  • 83 Professional Standards Command member's power to give direction to police officer  
  • 84 Request by Ombudsman on how to conduct investigation  
    • Subdivision 3--General matters
  • 85 Ombudsman to oversee police complaints resolution process and investigation  

Division 5--Ombudsman's investigation of police conduct

Subdivision 1--Police complaints
  • 86 When complaint may be investigated by Ombudsman  
    • Subdivision 2--Conduct of investigations
  • 87 Application of Subdivision  
  • 88 Conduct of investigation  
  • 89 Procedures and powers  
  • 90 Ombudsman may investigate consequential action  

Division 6--Reporting requirements and related provisions

Subdivision 1--Investigations if Commissioner reports to parties
  • 91 Application of Subdivision  
  • 92 Report of investigation by Professional Standards Command member  
  • 93 Commissioner to release report and comments  
    • Subdivision 2--Investigations if Commissioner reports to Ombudsman
  • 94 Application of Subdivision  
  • 95 Report of investigation by Professional Standards Command member  
  • 96 Commissioner to give report and comments to Ombudsman  
  • 97 Ombudsman's assessment and recommendations on investigation  
    • Subdivision 3--Investigations by Ombudsman
  • 98 Application of Subdivision  
  • 99 Ombudsman to report on investigation  
  • 100 Report containing adverse comment  
    • Subdivision 4--Content of reports
  • 101 Assessments and recommendations  
    • Subdivision 5--Other provisions relating to reports, assessments and recommendations
  • 102 Application of Subdivision  
  • 103 Consideration of Ombudsman's report  
  • 104 Action on Ombudsman's report  
  • 105 Ombudsman to inform complainant and police officer of action taken  
  • 106 Commissioner to notify Ombudsman of proceedings taken  

Division 7--Other decision-making provisions

  • 107 Deferral and discontinuing of dealing with complaint  
  • 108 Ombudsman may require further action  
  • 109 Complainant may ask for investigation to be conducted  
  • 110 Revocation or variation of decision, assessment or recommendation  
  • 111 Parties to complaint to be informed of decision  

Division 8--Miscellaneous provisions

  • 112 Commissioner may refer police conduct to Ombudsman  
  • 113 Commissioner may request non-disclosure of information  
  • 114 Restricted use of certain information  
  • 115 Consultation  
  • 116 Register of police complaints  

PART 8--CONFIDENTIALITY, OFFENCES AND RELATED PROVISIONS

Division 1--Confidentiality and related provisions

  • 117 Information disclosure and privilege  
  • 118 Disclosure of particular matters not required  
  • 119 Non-compellable witnesses  
  • 120 Confidentiality of information  
  • 121 Direction not to disclose information  
  • 122 Person consulted not to disclose information  

Division 2--Other offences, disciplinary provisions and related matters

  • 123 Misleading information or document  
  • 124 Preventing or obstructing making of complaint  
  • 125 Offence to commit act of reprisal  
  • 126 Failure to comply with particular notices  
  • 127 Refusal to take oath  
  • 128 Failure to comply with requirement to help Ombudsman  
  • 129 Obstruction of persons acting in official capacity  

Division 3--Legal proceedings for offences

  • 130 Evidentiary certificates  

PART 9--ADMINISTRATION

Division 1--Matters relating to Ombudsman and Ombudsman's Office

Subdivision 1--Appointment of Ombudsman and related matters
  • 132 Ombudsman  
  • 133 Eligibility for appointment  
  • 134 Term of appointment  
  • 135 Conditions of appointment  
  • 136 Restriction on outside employment  
  • 137 Leave of absence  
  • 138 Resignation  
  • 139 Retirement  
  • 140 Termination of appointment by Administrator  
  • 141 Termination of appointment by Legislative Assembly after suspension  
  • 142 Appointment ceases on becoming candidate for election  
  • 143 Acting Ombudsman  
  • 144 Oath before taking office  
    • Subdivision 2--Officers of Ombudsman's Office
  • 145 Status  
  • 146 Officers not subject to outside direction  
    • Subdivision 3--Miscellaneous matters
  • 147 Delegation  
  • 148 Arrangements with other jurisdictions  
  • 149 Validity of acts and decisions  

Division 2--Agreements for dealing with police complaints

  • 150 Ombudsman and Commissioner may make agreement  
  • 151 Tabling, publication and availability of agreement  

Division 3--Annual and other public reports

  • 152 Annual report  
  • 153 Report on Ombudsman's initiative to Minister  
  • 154 Tabling of reports  
  • 155 Report on parliamentary reference  

PART 10--MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

  • 156 Compliance with requirement as soon as practicable  
  • 157 Compliance with requirement for informing complainant  
  • 158 Extension of period for compliance with notices  
  • 159 Protection from liability – complainants and informants  
  • 160 Protection from liability – persons administering Act  
  • 161 Regulations  

PART 11--REPEALS AND TRANSITIONAL MATTERS FOR OMBUDSMAN ACT 2009

Division 1--Preliminary matters

  • 162 Definitions  

Division 2--Repeals

  • 163 Repeal of Ombudsman legislation  

Division 3--Transitional matters

  • 164 Ombudsman continues in office  
  • 165 Actions before commencement date  

PART 12--TRANSITIONAL MATTERS FOR INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT ACT 2019

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