The Australasian Pacific Ombudsman Region (APOR) held a conference on 31 October and its 35th annual Members’ meeting on 1 November 2023 in Melbourne, Australia 2023where a gathering of international delegates from Ombudsman institutions in the Australasian and Pacific region met to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the existence of the Victorian Ombudsman and at the same time, farewell one of its longest serving Member., Ms, Deborah Glass, the Victorian Ombudsman.
The Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Region (APOR) is a chapter of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). Members of APOR include ombudsmen from the Commonwealth and every state and territory of Australia, the New Zealand Ombudsman, Hong Kong Ombudsman, the Control Yuan, Taiwan and the Ombudsman from the Pacific Island nations of the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga and Vanuatu.
The conference, themed “Through The Ombudsman Looking Glass: Now And Into The Future” was hosted by Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass OBE as Regional President. It included panel sessions on the role of an Ombudsman in a crisis, whether the public still cares about integrity, the balance an Ombudsman must strike when exercising powers and the impact of emerging technologies. The Chief Ombudsman Mr. Richard Pagen attended and presented at this conference, addressing the crucial issue of promoting good governance and the rule of law in challenging times.
The presentation slides for the Chief Ombudsman’s topic “WHO CARES” are for further reference.
Chief-Ombudsman-Richard-Pagen-APOR-Presentation-WHO-CARESImpressions of the APOR conference and member’s meetings can also be seen in this short video.