Abstract:
In 2003 the Commonwealth Ombudsman celebrated its 25th year of
operation. During this 25-year period a "new" political, legal and economic
environment has evolved, rendering it timely to review and assess the
continuing relevance of this office and administrative law more generally.
This article examines the introduction and development of the
Commonwealth Ombudsman and discusses the impact of a changed
framework of government upon its operation - in particular the impact of the
privatisation and corporatisation of government services upon
the jurisdiction and role of this office. The article concludes that the
administrative law institution of the Commonwealth Ombudsman retains its
relevance in the new framework of government and that the primary
challenge facing the Ombudsman rests in the pre-1976 conception of the
office itself, rather than in the more recent policies of corporatisation and
privatisation.
