News

In a report tabled in Parliament today, The COVID-19 pandemic: second report , NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller has looked back on complaints received by the Ombudsman since his March 2021 report on the COVID pandemic (2020 hindsight: the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic).

People who need help with homelessness are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Factors that contribute to homelessness include mental illness or disability, substance abuse or challenging behaviour. However, these same factors can lead to people being excluded or evicted from the refuges that are meant to provide the safety net to support them.

NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller has called for significant improvements to be made to the delivery of public housing disability modifications. His report to Parliament tells the story of 3 public housing tenants who requested reasonable disability modifications to make their homes safe for them.

The report relates to a provision of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Amendment (Family is Culture) Bill 2022, which proposes an amendment to the Ombudsman Act. The amendment concerns the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction to investigate complaints in circumstances where there may be related court proceedings. The Bill is currently before the Legislative Assembly, having previously passed the Legislative Council.

NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller has called for greater visibility of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other machine technology by NSW Government agencies.

In a report tabled in Parliament this morning, the Ombudsman has cautioned agencies that using machine technology in ways that do not accord with standards of lawfulness, transparency, fairness and accountability, could lead to findings of maladministration or potentially unlawful conduct.