State government

An essential part of the work of an Ombudsman is dealing with complaints from members of the public who feel they have been treated unfairly or unreasonably by state government agencies.

As well as resolving complaints whenever we can, we work with agencies to bring about improvements to their systems so that the same problems do not keep happening. We use information from complaints to identify and proactively investigate public interest issues. In this way we can benefit a large number of people, often those who are less likely to come forward and complain.

What you can complain about to us

You can complain to us if you think you have been treated unfairly or unreasonably by a NSW state government agency. State government agencies include:

• Housing NSW
• NSW Trustee and Guardian
• State Debt Recovery Office
• Roads and Maritime Services
• Department of Education and Communities
• Railcorp
• WorkCover
• NSW Fair Trading
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

If you decide to lodge a complaint with us, remember that the Ombudsman cannot order the agency to do something or to change a decision. Our role is to make recommendations that promote fairness, integrity and practical reforms.

What you cannot complain about to us

There are some matters the Ombudsman cannot investigate. These are generally set out in the Ombudsman Act. They include:

• individual employment matters
• solicitors, politicians or ministers of the crown
• court or court like bodies.