HISTORY, CONSTITUTIONAL

The Ombudsman

In 1962 Parliament took the unusual step for a Commonwealth country of establishing a Parliamentary Commissioner for Investigations – or Ombudsman, after Scandinavian precedents. The Ombudsman is responsible to Parliament itself and his function is to investigate and – if he thinks fit – report on complaints made against Government administration.

• Pre-colonial Period

• New Zealand Becomes a Colony

• Early Constitutions

• The 1852 Constitution and Responsible Government

• The Provincial Period, 1853–76

• The Position of the Governor

• The Legislative Authority of the New Zealand Parliament

• Composition of Parliament, Franchise, etc.

• The Ombudsman

• External Relations

• New Zealand in the Commonwealth

Warning

This information was published in 1966 in An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock. It has not been corrected and will not be updated.

Up-to-date information can be found elsewhere in Te Ara.