These decisions show the types of issues we deal with and what the Ombudsman expects of agencies, including recommendations for administrative improvement.
January
Department for Child Protection - Failure to provide procedural fairness in respect of decisions to suspend family contact (2018/08918) (PDF, 414.8 KB)
Investigation of a complaint regarding a decision by the Department for Child Protection to suspend contact between a child and members of his biological family.
Port Pirie Regional Council - Misconduct in public administration (2018/02518) (PDF, 296.6 KB)
Investigation as to whether a former councillor, Mr Daryl Johnson, had failed to declare and appropriately manage conflicts of interest.
February
District Council of Coober Pedy - Incorrect classification of property (2017/12277) (PDF, 344.1 KB)
Investigation as to whether the district council had incorrectly differing ratings and/or sewerage rates to properties, failed to comply with provisions of the Development Act 1993, improperly approved a grant to the Coober Pedy Miners Association and improperly approved expenditure on an opal symposium.
March
Department for Health and Wellbeing - Public officer engaged in covert recording of colleague's telephone conversations - Misconduct in public administration (2017/11205; 2017/11209) (PDF, 259.8 KB)
Investigation as to whether a public officer had recorded telephone conversations of a colleague without their consent and that the public officer's manager had engaged the public officer to do so.
April
City of Victor Harbor - Cr Peter Charles breach of council member code of conduct (2018/08009) (PDF, 217.6 KB)
Investigation of a complaint that Cr Charles failed to declare and appropriately manage a conflict of interest.
District Council of Robe - Alleged maladministration (2018/07948) (PDF, 402.0 KB)
Investigation as to whether the district council had committed maladministration in public administration in relation to procurement processes for motor vehicles.
May
June
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure - Determination of an FOI internal review and expenditure (2018/04050) (PDF, 718.2 KB)
An investigation regarding:
- the conduct of the former chief executive of the department in determining an FOI internal review with respect to a request for information concerning his own meals, entertainment and purchase card expenditure.
- the conduct of the former chief executive in making inappropriate use of public funds for that expenditure on those items
- the department's practice of funding expenditure on those items
- the conduct of the Chief Corporate Officer by approving inappropriate purchase card transactions by the former chief executive.
Kangaroo Island Council - Former Mayor Peter Clements (2018/01787) (PDF, 446.1 KB)
Investigation regarding the conduct of former Mayor Clements in approving the Chief Executive Officer's time off in lieu and payment for additional hours worked.
Kangaroo Island Council - Mr Andrew Boardman (2018/01787) (PDF, 581.0 KB)
Investigation regarding the conduct of former Chief Executive Officer, Mr Boardman.
July
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure - conduct of an FOI review (2018/04050) (PDF, 284.1 KB)
Own initiative investigation regarding the department's failure to cooperate with a FOI external review, contrary to Freedom of Information Act 1991 s 39(7).
August
SafeWork SA - Action in relation to complaints about unsafe practices (2018/10472) (PDF, 348.4 KB)
September
Department for Human Services - Use of spit hoods in the Adelaide Youth Training Centre (2017/03135; 2017/05397) (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Own initiative investigation regarding the use of spit hoods in the Adelaide Youth Training Centre.
Statement on investigation - Waiving of an expiation (PDF, 229.5 KB)
Summary statement about an investigation of the conduct of the chief executive officer, on a council's decision to waive a parking expiation incurred by a council volunteer.
October
Statement on investigation - Department for Child Protection (PDF, 274.6 KB)
Summary statement regarding an investigation about the manner in which the Department for Child Protection responded to a matter where the young person had special needs due to medical concerns.
Investigation arising from a death at the Echunga Police Training Reserve (2018/03368) (PDF, 718.0 KB)
An investigation of a report alleging maladministration by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and South Australia Police following a workplace fatality at SA Police's Echunga Training Reserve in October 2016.
November
City of Onkaparinga - Use of corporate credit cards (2017/09905) (PDF, 706.5 KB)
An investigation relating to credit card expenditure by the City of Onkaparinga during the period 2014-2016.
Cr Ian Tooley of the Town of Gawler - Failure to comply with recommendation (2019/04332) (PDF, 249.4 KB)
Investigation of a complaint that Cr Tooley had failed to comply with the Code of Conduct for Council Members.
December
City of Adelaide - Misconduct in public administration (2019/08278) (PDF, 280.1 KB)
Investigation as to whether Cr Anne Moran had improperly disclosed confidential information.
Department for Human Services - Investigation into the treatment of young people in the Adelaide Youth Training Centre (2017/01995; 2017/02994) (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Investigation regarding the treatment of two young people in the Adelaide Youth Training Centre, including the use of extended periods of isolation and solitary confinement.
