The Model Ombudsman: Institutionalizing New Zealand's Democratic Experiment

One increasingly popular device for achieving a balance between authority and accountability in government is the institution of the ombudsman. The first non-Scandinavian ombudsman appeared in New Zealand in 1962, and since then the office has spread to many countries and been adopted at different levels of government. This book—the first intensive study of New Zealand’s “model” ombudsman- seeks to understand the process by which the institution was successfully adapted and made a part of New Zealand’s political system.

The author’s inquiry is based on eighteen months of field experience in New Zealand. His book examines the complaints, the clients, their interaction with the ombudsman, his relations with the bureaucracy, and his effectiveness. His relations with various publics-bureaucrats, Honorable Members, and Queen’s Ministers receive special attention.

Originally published in 1977.

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