Vision, history and structure

Vision

The Office’s vision is for ‘Fair and accountable public administration in Queensland’.

Our strategic plan sets out how we will achieve our vision, purpose and values.

History

'Ombudsman' is a Swedish word which means 'protector or defender of citizens' rights'. The first ombudsman was appointed in 1809 in Sweden.

Today, an ‘ombudsman’ does not act solely for a citizen, nor do they act on behalf of a government agency. Instead, they are independent and impartial, ensuring a fair outcome is achieved.

Queensland’s first ombudsman was appointed in 1974. Known as the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administrative Investigations, he was tasked with investigating the administrative actions of government departments and authorities.

The Ombudsman Act 2001 gave the Office the dual role of investigating complaints against government agencies and helping agencies improve their decision-making and complaint handling.

In 2013, the Office became the oversight agency for the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010.

The Inspector of Detention Services Act 2022 (IDS Act) allows for the Ombudsman to have the new and additional role of Inspector of Detention Services. Some parts of the IDS Act commenced in December 2022 and the remaining parts commenced on 1 July 2023. 

Anthony Reilly is the current Queensland Ombudsman and Inspector of Detention Services. Former Ombudsmen include:

• Sir David Longland (1974-1979)
• Sir David Muir (1979-1981)
• Mr Cedric Johnson (1981-1990)
• Mr Fred Albietz (1991-2001)
• Mr David Bevan (2001-2010)
• Mr Phil Clarke (2011-2020).
   

Marking 50 years of service to the community

In 2024 , the Office reached a significant milestone, marking 50 years of service to the community.

In 1974, the Office was established under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1974. The Ombudsman Act 2001, modernised the 1974 Act and formalised the title of 'Ombudsman'.

Over 50 years, the Office acquired new services to its area of responsibility and incorporated different technologies to deliver services to the growing Queensland community. While there has been significant change, this Office’s commitment to fairness and improvement is unwavering. 

Marking 50 years of service to the community (PDF 4.3MB) contains a timeline of significant events in the Office’s history. 

Structure

The Ombudsman reports to the Queensland Parliament through the Community Safety and Legal Affairs Committee (CSLAC), formerly the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee. CSLAC monitors and reviews the performance of the Office and meets with the Ombudsman and senior officers at least once a year. Reports from these meetings are tabled in parliament. These reports include information on our performance in meeting the objectives of our strategic plan and other obligations under the Ombudsman Act 2001.

A strategic review of the Office must be conducted at least every seven years. The terms of reference for such reviews are determined by the Governor-in-Council, who also appoints a reviewer following consultation with the Minister, CSLAC and the Ombudsman.

Organisational structure