Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Integrity and Oversight Committee

The Independent Performance Audit of the Victorian Ombudsman

The Clerk: Pursuant to section 35(2)(c) of the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, and following the release of the report on 1 July 2024, I table the report on the independent performance audit of the Victorian Ombudsman, including an appendix, from the Integrity and Oversight Committee.

Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (14:51): I move:

That the Council take note of the report.

I have just a brief contribution. This is an important report from the Integrity and Oversight Committee. One of our functions on behalf the Parliament is to act as the accountability mechanism for our integrity agencies. Performance audits of those integrity agencies were something that was introduced in legislation a couple of years ago. This is the first time the committee has undertaken a performance audit of the Victorian Ombudsman and her office. I do want to say it was a very constructive process. It elicited a series of considered recommendations that will hopefully improve the performance of the Ombudsman and her office during a period of transition between the former Ombudsman and the current Ombudsman. I particularly want to thank the independent auditors commissioned by the committee, O’Connor Marsden, for their diligent work and also the secretariat staff, led by Tom Hvala with Holly Brennan and Sean Coley, for their work on what was a very good report.

Motion agreed to.