Ombudsman Regulations 2019

to prescribe additional actions to be taken by a presiding officer before a person is asked any questions or to produce a document or thing at a compulsory appearance or a voluntary appearance; and

to prescribe other matters necessary to be prescribed under the Ombudsman Act 1973.

For the purposes of section 18(2)(a) of the Act, the prescribed form of a witness summons is Form 1 in Schedule 1.

For the purposes of section 18(2)(c)(iv) of the Act, a witness summons issued by the Ombudsman must include, as an attachment, a copy of the statement referred to in regulation 6.

For the purposes of section 18P(2)(f) of the Act, a presiding officer must take the following prescribed actions before the person appearing is asked any questions or required to produce any document—

if the person appearing is to take an oath or affirmation and is using an interpreter, administer an oath or affirmation to the interpreter in accordance with the requirements of the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018;

if the person appearing is between 16 and 18 years of age or has a mental impairment and is accompanied by a parent, guardian or an independent person, inform the parent, guardian or independent person of the rights and obligations of the person appearing set out in Form 2 in Schedule 1.

The presiding officer may comply with subregulation (1)(b) by providing the parent, guardian or independent person with a copy of the statement set out in Form 2 in Schedule 1.