Resolution passed 13 May 1999, 1st Session, Minutes No. 3, p 61. In accordance with its functions under s.31B of the Ombudsman Act 1974 the
Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Committee is
to conduct an inquiry into:
matters raised in the Ombudsman’s Annual Report for 1999-2000 in relation to
freedom of information, including but not limited to, the need for a review of
the Freedom of Information Act 1989, and the proliferation of access to
information schemes established under the FOI Act, the Privacy and Personal
Information Protection Act 1998, and the Local Government Act 1993;
the impact of the access to information schemes upon the operation of the
Office of the Ombudsman;
the use of privacy and confidentiality considerations as a basis for refusing
access to information;
contractual arrangements between government agencies and private sector
contractors providing services on behalf of those agencies, in particular, the
reported use of commercial-in-confidence clauses and the transfer of ownership
of documents to avoid the requirements of the FOI Act, investigation by the
Ombudsman and other accountability measures;
whether the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction should be extended to include the conduct
of a private contractor engaged by a public sector agency and using public
monies to provide services, goods or other things, on behalf of that agency;
the adequacy of arrangements for complaint handling and redress in relation to
services contracted out by public sector agencies;
legislative amendments to the FOI Act as suggested by the Deputy Ombudsman in
response to questioning from the Committee during the 7th General Meeting with
the Ombudsman;
any other matter considered by the Committee to be relevant to the inquiry.
Parliament House Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9230 2737 Fax: 02 9230 3309
In accordance with its functions under s.31B of the Ombudsman Act 1974 the
Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Committee is
to conduct an inquiry into:
matters raised in the Ombudsman’s Annual Report for 1999-2000 in relation to
freedom of information, including but not limited to, the need for a review of
the Freedom of Information Act 1989, and the proliferation of access to
information schemes established under the FOI Act, the Privacy and Personal
Information Protection Act 1998, and the Local Government Act 1993;
the impact of the access to information schemes upon the operation of the
Office of the Ombudsman;
the use of privacy and confidentiality considerations as a basis for refusing
access to information;
contractual arrangements between government agencies and private sector
contractors providing services on behalf of those agencies, in particular, the
reported use of commercial-in-confidence clauses and the transfer of ownership
of documents to avoid the requirements of the FOI Act, investigation by the
Ombudsman and other accountability measures;
whether the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction should be extended to include the conduct
of a private contractor engaged by a public sector agency and using public
monies to provide services, goods or other things, on behalf of that agency;
the adequacy of arrangements for complaint handling and redress in relation to
services contracted out by public sector agencies;
legislative amendments to the FOI Act as suggested by the Deputy Ombudsman in
response to questioning from the Committee during the 7th General Meeting with
the Ombudsman;
any other matter considered by the Committee to be relevant to the inquiry.
Parliament House Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9230 2737 Fax: 02 9230 3309