Items of interest for the Complaints, Accountability, Integrity Network
Outsourcing
Procurement of Youth Boot Camps
Audit report on award of contracts to establish new youth boot camps in Queensland. It points to a lack of evidence to support decisions to award contracts and a lack of transparency.
https://www.qao.qld.gov.au/files/file/Reports%20and%20publications/Repor...
Queensland Audit Office, April 2015
Making things right: Department of Education and Training: compensation for errors made by contracted service providers
The report concerns complaints from two businesses that were refused incentives under the program after being given incorrect advice about their eligibility from Australian Apprenticeships Centres. The centres were contracted service providers. The Commonwealth Ombudsman stated that the investigation highlighted issues with Commonwealth agencies contracting out services. "Contracting out service provision is a legitimate strategy for agencies seeking to implement programs in a cost-effective and efficient way. However, cost-effectiveness and efficiency should not be achieved by reducing or limiting the rights and protections that members of the public have when things go wrong. Agencies need to have measures in place to compensate people on behalf of their providers, where they are satisfied an error has been made."
http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/files/Commonwealth_Ombudsman_Report_no012015...
Commonwealth Ombudsman, March 2015
Conflict of interests
An investigation into allegations of nepotism and conflict of interest by senior health managers
Report of investigation that identified conduct by two officers in relation to the procurement of services from, and the employment of, direct family members and others with whom they had shared a professional (and in one case, a financial) association. Those procurements and recruitments brought financial benefits to the persons associated with the two officers. It was the view of the Integrity Commission that the conduct of both officers involved conflicts of interest which were not dealt with in accordance with applicable policy or legislative requirements.
http://www.integrity.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/284472/Repor...
Integrity Commission, Tasmania, 2014
Identifying and managing conflicts of interest in the public sector
A four page guide to handling conflicts of interest.
http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/component/docman/doc_download/3325-identifyin...
Independent Commission Against Corruption NSW, July 2012
Good decision-making
Good Decision-Making Guide: Good decisions make good sense
A concise guide to decision-making for public sector officers.
http://www.ombudsman.qld.gov.au/Portals/0/docs/Publications/Brochures/10...
Ombudsman Queensland, 2013
Education
Overseas Students Ombudsman website
The Overseas Students Ombudsman (Commonwealth Ombudsman) investigates complaints about problems that overseas students have with private education and training in Australia. The Ombudsman also:
• provides information about best practice complaints handling to help private education providers manage internal complaints effectively
• publishes reports on problems and broader issues in international education identified through investigations.
http://www.oso.gov.au/
Overseas Students Ombudsman, 2015
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