Ombudsman Investigation, Member for Bragg

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (15:14): Supplementary arising out of the answer: does the Attorney-General have confidence in the Ombudsman on this decision?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Attorney-General, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:14): I have answered the question. I have confidence in the Ombudsman discharging his statutory obligations, which he was asked to do by the referral from the parliamentary committee. As I've said, that is the reason that the Attorney-General's Department has been asked to do some work to look at the conclusions that were reached. Yes, I have confidence in the Ombudsman, in the way he goes about things, but on this occasion a QC and the member for Black have come to one conclusion and the Ombudsman has come to another conclusion. I think it is worthy of further work and further clarification.