Australian Capital Territory
Official Visitor (Homelessness Services) 
Visit and Complaint Guidelines 2014 
Disallowable instrument DI2014–87
made under the  
Official Visitor Act 2012, section 23 (Visit and complaint guidelines)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Background

Section 23 of the Official Visitor Act 2012 allows the Minister to, after consulting the Operational Minister for an Operational Act, make guidelines about visits by an official visitor, handling of complaints, and referral of complaints to investigative entities.

The Operational Act for the Official Visitor for Homelessness Services is the 
Housing Assistance Act 2007. The Operational Minister for the Act is the Minister for Housing.

Provisions of the Official Visitor – Visit and Complaint Guidelines

The Official Visitor (Homelessness Services) Visit and Complaint Guidelines provide a schedule of each visitable place that an official visitor must visit and how often the official visitor must visit the place. 

The Guidelines also detail procedures that the official visitor and the operating entity must follow during a visit by the official visitor, and during any subsequent follow up of matters identified during by the official visitor or an entitled person under the Act.

The Guidelines also provides a schedule of reporting by the official visitor to the Operational Minister for the Act.

The Guidelines set out procedures to be followed in the case of complaint and in cases where a complaint or matter raised by the official visitor or an entitled person cannot be resolved. They also prescribe how a complaint may be received, actioned and closed by the official visitor and how an entitled person may withdraw a complaint if they so wish.

As required under section 23(2) of the Official Visitor Act 2012, the Guidelines include a schedule that sets out each visitable place that the official visitor must visit and how often the official visitor must visit the place.