Internal Ombudsman

The Internal Ombudsman provides a professional, complaint handling service to the Dubbo Regional Council community. Find out what an Internal Ombudsman does, find out how to contact them, or submit a complaint using our webform.

ROLE OF AN INTERNAL OMBUDSMAN

The Internal Ombudsman provides a professional, complaint handling service to the Dubbo Regional Council community. The Internal Ombudsman has a remit to impartially and objectively investigate the conduct and actions of Council and Council officers in the case of possible corruption, misconduct, maladministration or other unethical behaviour.

The Internal Ombudsman also reviews Council processes to ensure that they have been carried out fairly and in accordance with Council’s procedures, policies and any Acts or Regulations that may apply. It is not the role of the Internal Ombudsman to change operational decisions made by Council, Councillors or Council officers or to advocate on anyone’s behalf.

Complaints are accepted from members of the community and Council staff. If a complaint relates to the Mayor, Councillors or the General Manager, the Internal Ombudsman manages these through an external reviewer or panel of reviewers who are independent of Council.

The Internal Ombudsman progressively examines the way that Council operates and makes recommendations to improve accountability, transparency and fairness. The Internal Ombudsman actively provides operational and strategic advice to staff and management to prevent and mitigate the risk of corruption, maladministration or other forms of impropriety.

Ombudsman Fact Sheet (PDF 170.5KB)

CONTACTING THE INTERNAL OMBUDSMAN

BY TELEPHONE:

Telephone: 02 6801 4000 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday)
If a complaint is made by telephone, the Internal Ombudsman may ask for a written submission subsequently.

IN WRITING:

Email: ombudsman@dubbo.nsw.gov.au

Post: Internal Ombudsman, C/- Dubbo Regional Council, PO Box 81, NSW 2830
(please mark your letter “Confidential”)

Facsimile: 02 6801 4259
(please mark your facsimile “Confidential”)

For more information about the role of the Internal Ombudsman and how any complaint will be assessed, please refer to the Internal Ombudsman Policy.

LODGE A COMPLAINT

If you think your complaint concerns a serious issue, for example, corruption, misconduct, maladministration or other unlawful or unethical behaviour by Council administration or Council officers, you may choose to make a complaint directly to the Internal Ombudsman by completing the form below.

Before lodging a complaint with the Internal Ombudsman, it is useful to ask yourself the following questions:

Is this a complaint regarding a service request that should instead be registered through Council's DRC&ME Portal?
What has Council or Council staff done wrong in this situation?
Has Council or Council staff breached a law or policy which they have a duty to uphold?
Has a process been applied unfairly or discriminatively?
Has a Council officer done something that is against the law or could be a breach of Council’s Code of Conduct?

Name:

Preferred correspondence address (Postal and/or Email)

Contact telephone number

Please specify the nature of your complaint including any contravention that has occurred.

Please provide any background to the complaint (attach any relevant documents below if need be)

Do you have any other supporting documents?

What outcome would you like to see as a result of your complaint? Please note that this cannot always be achieved.

Has any action previously been taken in relation to your complaint, including referral to an external law enforcement or oversight agency?

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Last Edited: 06 Dec 2021