Investigation reports
Read about issues we've investigated, and our recommendations. These reports can help other public organisations improve their performance.
Investigation report Investigation into review of parking fines by the City of Melbourne
Date posted:We found Melbourne Council acted unfairly in upholding parking fines against drivers who made a genuine mistake. These drivers paid a parking fee but entered the wrong registration number in the PayStay app. The Council agreed to refund people who appealed against this fine in recent years.
Tags:Investigation report Investigation into the planning and delivery of the Western Highway duplication project
Date posted:This investigation looked into whether government agencies consulted with Aboriginal people about how to protect sacred land near Ararat. We concluded that agencies did consult with official Aboriginal bodies. And that considerable efforts have been made to minimise damage.
Tags:Investigation report Ombudsman's recommendations - third report
Date posted:This report looks into the implementation of recommendations the Ombudsman made to public organisations between April 2018-March 2020. The Ombudsman made 109 recommendations - 41 have been implemented in full, with 63 in progress.
Tags:Investigation report Investigations into allegations of nepotism in government schools
Date posted:Family members and associates of principals in Victorian government schools continue to be hired without principals properly declaring or managing their conflicts of interest.
Tags:Investigation report Investigation of alleged improper conduct by Executive Officers at Ballarat City Council
Date posted:Two Ballarat Council Executives gave preferential treatment to personal associates and former colleagues. A Director was improperly involved in recruiting three former colleagues. The CEO was involved in decisions regarding two staff that were 'unwise at best and may have been improper'.
Tags:Investigation report Investigation into three councils' outsourcing of parking fine internal reviews
Date posted:This investigation looks into Glen Eira, Port Phillip and Stonnington's use of a contractor to decide on parking fine appeals. We concluded that the councils acted 'contrary to law'. They failed to show transparency and accountability.
Tags:Investigation report Investigation of matters referred from the Legislative Assembly on 8 August 2018
Date posted:The Ombudsman looked into whether 40 current and former Liberal MPs knew - or could reasonably have known - of invoice fraud committed by a former Liberal State Director. She cleared the MPs of any wrongdoing. She called on Parliament to change the rules so MPs no longer certify their own expenses.
Tags:Investigation report WorkSafe2: Follow-up investigation into the management of complex workers compensation claims
Date posted:This 18 month investigation looked into the treatment of long term injured workers. The Ombudsman found the system was failing to deliver just outcomes for many people, with some decisions "immoral and unethical". She recommended wholesale change to restore fairness for long term injured workers.
Tags:Investigation report Investigation into improper conduct by a Council employee at the Mildura Cemetery Trust
Date posted:A former Council employee at Mildura Cemetery Trust misused his position for personal benefit and made careless mistakes that distressed grieving families. Among his misdeeds, he undertook potentially illegal exhumations and took money from families for memorial chairs made by his relative.
Tags:Investigation report Revisiting councils and complaints
Date posted:How do Victorian councils deal with complaints? This enquiry found many councils are understating the amount of complaints they get because they have a narrow definition of 'complaint'. The Ombudsman said councils which understate the level of public dissatisfaction may be failing to deal with it.
Tags:Investigation report OPCAT in Victoria: A thematic investigation of practices related to solitary confinement of children and young people
Date posted:Children and young people in Victorian prisons and youth justice systems are being damaged through excessive use of isolation and separation. The practices are incompatible with local and international human rights laws.
Tags:Investigation report Investigation into Wellington Shire Council's handling of Ninety Mile Beach subdivisions
Date posted:This investigation looked into a 65-year saga. In the 1950s, a developer lured people to buy land along Gippsland's Ninety Mile Beach. Much of the land cannot be developed. The Ombudsman recommended several measures incl. the refund of rates and waste charges and the compulsory acquisition of land.
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Looking for reports published prior to 2014?
Find a list of all reports published prior to 2014.