Our Main Functions
Our main functions are to investigate complaints about the administrative actions and decisions of government departments and agencies; to investigate the conduct of PNG leaders and; to investigate complaints about discriminatory practice.
While we want to assist you in resolving your complaint it is important for you to know that as we are an independent body we are not acting on your behalf when we investigate a complaint.
What we investigate?
We investigate complaints against leaders. If you believe one of PNG’s leaders has acted inappropriately, or that they have done something wrong, you can lodge a complaint with us. Go to this section of the website to learn more about lodging a complaint about a leader.
We can investigate complaints about Government Departments like the Department of Lands, the National Housing Corporation and the Department of Education, and Statutory Bodies.
Authorities like the National Maritime Safety Authority.
We can also investigate complaints about Provincial Administrations, Local Level Governments and Universities.
We cannot investigate:-
➢ Discriminatory practices by private bodies;
➢ Complaints about private individuals or companies;
➢ Complaints about decisions of the Court.
If your complaint is about any of the above contact a private lawyer of the Public Solicitor.
Making A Complaint:
Anyone can lay their complaint with the Ombudsman Commission. This can be either done by telephone or letter, or calling in personally at the Ombudsman Commission head office in Deloitte Tower, Port Moresby or at the regional office in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province, Kokopo, East New Britain Province and Lae Morobe Province.
You can download the Ombudsman Commission Complaints Information Form here. You can also download directly here.
Once you have finished filling out the relevant details, you can send it to our address via the postal service, or you can fax it to us, and email as well. See full contact list.
Submit Your Complaints at Regional Offices
You can also submit your complaints by post or in person to the Ombudsman Commission Regional Offices. You can see the contact details for all of our offices here.
Submit Your Complaint Online Now
You can also submit your complaint on our website by completing the Ombudsman Commission Online Complaint Form.
What happens when you make a complaint?
1. When you contact the Ombudsman Commission, an officer will record all the relevant information about your complaint.
2. This officer will check whether the Commission has the power to investigate your complaint. If it cannot investigate, it usually refers your case to an agency that can investigate.
3. If the commission approve your case for investigation, it may ask you for more supporting information such as letters or other documents.
4. The ombudsman commission will contact the relevant agency or department to hear what they have to say about your complaint. Many complaints are resolved at this stage.
5. If the course of the problem is not clear and no solution is offered, it will investigate further. It has the power to call on the Heads of Department to produce all files, documents and relevant papers relating to your complaint. It can summon any person to give evidence in connection with the investigation.
6. It provides opportunity for anyone against whom adverse findings are likely to be made to be heard and defend themselves. This can take time.
7. Once the OC is satisfied that it has found out as much as it can about the case, the Commission writes a final report containing findings, opinions and recommendations about the matter.
8. When the investigation is complete, the investigating officer will write to you to tell you the outcome.
How long will the Ombudsman Commission take to attend to your complaint?
It is hard to say how quickly the commission will be able to resolve to your complaint. It will depend on how many complaints the OC need to attend to, how complex your case is and how much cooperation OC receives from government and agencies.
Will the information you give to the Commission become public knowledge?
All information obtained by the Ombudsman Commission through its investigation is confidential, even detail of the complainant are confidential. This to ensure that its investigation are not jeopardised. The Commission however, will only reveal information that it believes is necessary to its investigations.
All officers of the Commission have taken an oath to promise that they will keep secret all information relating to cases it is investigating.
Can the Ombudsman Commission enforce its recommendations?
The Ombudsman Commission requires the department or agency to report back with the actions they will take to address the Commission’s recommendations. If the department or agencies fail to report back, the Commission will follow up to find out why it has failed to address the Commission’s recommendation.
Through the Governmental Body Liaison Program, the commission has established links with government agencies like Police, correctional Services and Education Department. Liaison officers are appointed for each agency to work with Commission in resolving complaints. This process enables the commission to effectively resolve complaints.