Page 3445 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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An agency must value complaints and recognise that effective complaint handling will benefit its reputation and administration.
No agency will ever be perfect and there can always be improvements. We should have a public service that is continually trying to improve, and I think that is the case for the vast majority of public servants. I acknowledge that at times public complaints can be difficult. Complaints may often be incorrect or misguided, but that does not mean that the prevailing expectation for complaints should be that they are just an inconvenient waste of time. Taking them seriously and responding to the root cause will almost always lead to some improvement in the way services are delivered, even if all that does is to prevent future complaints arising. Citizens have a right to the services provided by the government and that includes knowing the reasons why decisions are and are not made and to understand why things have happened. Even if the department was entirely in the right in the action that it took, that is not the end of the matter.
In addition to cultural change, a consistent framework for complaints that keeps people in the loop with what is happening in plain language, provides them with clear statements of reasons as to why decisions were taken and what their options are if they disagree. All these changes are vital and I very much hope that the government will adopt the recommendations made by the Ombudsman, the Auditor-General and the public accounts committee.
As the executive expand in size and the complexity of the decisions that they make increases, the need for strong oversight agencies and robust accountability mechanisms cannot be overstated. No one part of the framework will be sufficient—all will be required to work side by side and in a coordinated manner to ensure there are no gaps. No matter what the circumstances are, there is always a mechanism that covers the problems experienced within the service or by the people it serves.
Technological changes make it much easier for government openness and their provision of information to citizens. We have debated many of these issues before in this place. This motion is designed to consolidate much of that work so that there is no doubt of the parliament’s clear commitment in this area. I should acknowledge the admin and procedures committee inquiry into the concept of officers of parliament to improve the oversight and budgetary control that the Assembly has over statutory authorities that have been created to ensure probity in government action.
The three elements that my motion addresses cover much of the framework to achieve that goal. I hope that all members can see the merit in improving both the statutory framework and the cultural practices that exist. Ultimately it is in the government’s, the public service’s and the community’s best interests. I also understand that there will be some amendments made by the government. I welcome those amendments. We will be supporting the amendments that will be put forward by Ms Gallagher.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations) (6.55): I thank Ms Hunter very much for bringing this motion to the Assembly and for giving us the opportunity today to reflect on the importance of
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