Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts17A. Preliminary and minor inquiries
(1) Where a complaint has been made to the Ombudsman in respect of an action taken by, in or on behalf of a department or authority to which this Act applies, the Ombudsman may make inquiries of the department or the authority for the purposes of:
(a) determining whether or not the Ombudsman is authorized to investigate the action; or
(b) if the Ombudsman is authorized to investigate the action:
(i) determining whether or not the Ombudsman may, in his discretion, decide not to investigate the action; or
(ii) determining the complaint without the need for an investigation under the Act where the Ombudsman is of the opinion, having regard to the nature and seriousness of the complaint, that it may be resolved expeditiously.
(2) An inquiry under subsection (1) is not an investigation for the purposes of section 19 of this Act.