The fix is quick for ROG

By PTE John Wellfare

* Some key recommendations of the redress of grievance review are: – reducing the average complaint-handling times; – employing more people to clear the backlog of applications; – providing clearer guidance and better advice to COs and to people submitting ROGs.

RESOLVING a redress of grievance will be quicker in the future, with CDF and the Ombudsman accepting a number of recommendations from a review into the process.

Staff from the Ombudsman’s office and Defence conducted the review, commissioned in September last year, and the team sought input from many ADF members, including some of those who had lodged complaints.

Di Harris, the director of the Complaint Resolution Agency (CRA), which has oversight of the redress system, said the review had paved the way for the agency to take on more staff and resolve complaints more quickly.

“If you talk about redresses to people, anyone who’s had anything to do with the process, almost without exception, will say it takes a long time,” she said.

Recruitment of more staff to work within the agency will begin soon. The extra staff will help to clear the backlog of redress of grievance applications and reduce complaint-handling timeframes in the future.

As part of the revamp, members are also being encouraged to resolve their complaints at the lowest possible levels by using their chain of command or Defence’s alternative dispute resolution, mediation and administrative schemes. But members will always retain the right to seek formal resolution.

CDF General Peter Cosgrove said now that the review was complete he was confident that ADF members would shortly notice a marked improvement in complaint handling turnaround.

“I can also assure ADF members that their complaints will continue to be handled thoroughly and impartially,” he said.

Ms Harris said the review proposed that the CRA work more closely with ADF units to provide advice on investigating redress of grievance applications.

“Commanders might only get one or two redresses in their time as a CO, but in CRA we get about 200 a year and we’ve got people who’ve worked here for five or six years, so there’s a lot of corporate knowledge and experience available,” she said.

Ms Harris said the Agency’s greatest strength – that it operates separate from the chain of command – would be preserved under the review’s recommendations.

“When this organisation was established it was set up to be independent and so we work directly for the CDF,” she said. “CRA reviews each case without fear or favour and makes recommendations based on merit. If this means taking a stand against policy or a Service HQ decision, so be it.”

GEN Cosgrove said implementing the review recommendations was another step in enhancing the military justice system. “The submissions gave the review team valuable insight into the issues affecting complainants and I wish to thank those ADF members who contributed,” he said.

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