Outcomes - Selected Case Summaries
Categories
Non-response to complaints against planning
Early Resolution | 25 May 2022
Department of Planning
The complainant alleged non-response by the Department of Planning (“planning”) concerning enforcement orders related to what he stated was the illegal construction of a sewerage facility on his property. He stated there were separate complaints made, in one of which, he was informed about a charging decision of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions a year after a decision had been made. In the second complaint, he stated he received no response at all.
We contacted the complainant to assist us with creating a timeline of events and to try to narrow down the complaint matters he sought to bring against planning. After meeting with the complainant, we established there were four separate complaint matters arising over the course of approximately 18 months which had not been responded to.
We wrote to planning to seek a response to each of these matters and in less than two weeks, planning responded in a detailed and thorough manner to the issues raised. These responses were accepted and the complaint file was closed.
The Ombudsman made to recommendations in this matter as no formal investigation was commenced.