The Waka Tangata APOR E-News includes news and views from integrity organisations in the Pacific and Australasian Region. The June 2025 Issue number 15 of the Waka Tangata APOR E-News is now available.

El Defensor del Pueblo ha iniciado 30 actuaciones de oficio con el Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana, todas las comunidades autónomas, las dos ciudades autónomas y con los diez ayuntamientos más poblados de España con el objetivo de conocer las políticas públicas que están llevando a cabo para garantizar a la ciudadanía el acceso a una vivienda digna y adecuada.

 

Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, Public Protector of South Africa, was in Malta at the invitation of Parliamentary Ombudsman Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon to address the thematic lecture “Transparency, Fairness and Accountability: Cornerstones of Good Administration – The Mandate of the Ombudsman” that took place on 12 June 2025 in the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives. It was the first in a series of events marking the 30^th anniversary of the Office of the Ombudsman. 

 

On 1 July 2025, the new Board of the Austrian Ombudsman institution was sworn in by the President of the Republic, Alexander Van der Bellen. As of 1 July, the Austrian Ombudsman Board consists of Mr. Christoph Luisser, Ms. Gaby Schwarz and Mr. Bernhard Achitz. Ombudsperson Luisser will hold the institution’s chair for the next twelve months.

The City of Toronto’s Ombudsman handled 4,929 cases in 2024, a 43 per cent increase over the previous year and the highest on record. The most common fairness issues stemmed from poor communication, including no or delayed responses and inconsistent or incorrect information from City staff.

 

Paula Sussex has been appointed Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) by His Majesty King Charles. She will take up the role from 1 August 2025 and arrangements are now in place, meaning all casework can progress as normal.

 

En ce 23 juin 2025, l’Association des Ombudsmans et Médiateurs de la Francophonie (AOMF) souligne la Journée mondiale des lanceurs d’alerte. Pour cette occasion, l’AOMF attire l’attention sur l’importance de valoriser le rôle des personnes qui, dans l’intérêt public, lancent des alertes et contribuent de la sorte à promouvoir les valeurs d’intégrité, de transparence et de bonne gouvernance. Ces individus occupent une place centrale dans la lutte contre les atteintes à l’intégrité des services publics et la corruption.

Mr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput, Provincial Ombudsman Sindh, chaired a high-level meeting attended by representatives of prominent UN agencies, foreign and local NGOs, community based organizations, local support organizations, and civil society organizations to formally launch the “Awareness and Outreach Program - A Collaborative Initiative.” This initiative is aimed at strengthening public awareness of citizens’ rights, promoting transparency and accountability, and enhancing the visibility and accessibility of grievance redress mechanisms across Sindh.