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OMBUDSMAN ACT 1973 - SECT 25A Content of reports

OMBUDSMAN ACT 1973 - SECT 25A

Content of reports

    (1)     The Ombudsman must not include in a report under this Act—

        (a)     any information that the Ombudsman considers would prejudice any criminal proceedings or criminal investigations, or investigations by the Ombudsman, the IBAC or the Victorian Inspectorate; or

S. 25A(1)(b) amended by No. 85/2012 s. 164(1).

        (b)     any information, or information in any document, referred to in section 19, 19A or  19B; or

        (c)     a finding or an opinion that a specified person is guilty of or has committed, is committing or is about to commit an offence; or

        (d)     a recommendation that a specified person be, or an opinion that a specified person should be, prosecuted for an offence.

S. 25A(1A) inserted by No. 85/2012 s. 164(2).

    (1A)     The Ombudsman must not include in a report under this Act any information that—

        (a)     is likely to lead to the identification of a person who has made an assessable disclosure; and

S. 25A(1A)(b) amended by No. 2/2019 s. 79(Sch.  1 Pt C item 32).

        (b)     is not information to which section 53(2)(a), (c) or (d) of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 applies.

    (2)     If the Ombudsman intends to include in a report under this Act a comment or opinion that is adverse to any person, the Ombudsman must first give the person a reasonable opportunity to respond to the adverse material and fairly set out the response in the report.

    (3)     The Ombudsman must not include in a report under this Act any information that would identify any person who is not the subject of any adverse comment or opinion unless the Ombudsman—

        (a)     is satisfied that it is necessary or desirable to do so in the public interest; and

        (b)     is satisfied that it will not cause unreasonable damage to the person's reputation, safety or wellbeing; and

        (c)     states in the report that the person is not the subject of any adverse comment or opinion.

S. 25B inserted by No. 56/2004 s. 78, repealed by No. 79/2004 s. 71(c), new s. 25B inserted by No. 82/2012 s. 243.