Brisbane's Tonga Community had an opportunity to engage with Tonga's Ombudsman on March 19 and learn about his role in Tonga investigating complaints filed against government entities.

Tonga’s Ombudsman, Mr ‘Aisea Taumoepeau SC and a delegation held the consultation in Brisbane, while they were in the Australian city attending a course hosted by the Queensland Ombudsman Office.

The Ombudsman was accompanied by acting CEO and senior investigator Mele‘ofa Mohenoa, investigator Mosese Uili and communications and media liaison officer, Nanisē Fifita.

During the consultation, members of the community raised common complaints experienced by the diaspora when visiting Tonga for short stays, as well as ongoing concerns about land disputes, customs procedures and immigration policies and how to raise a complaint with the Ombudsman’s office from abroad.

Mele Ngauamo, who is treasurer for the coomunity group, said the get-together was welcomed.

“The visit provided a rare opportunity for our community to engage with the Ombudsman and learn more of their role and how the community here in Australia can lodge complaints to ensure improved services for everyone back home.” 

Local community member, Mr Haisini Māsima, requested more opportunities to meet with Tongan Government delegations in the future. 

“It’s important for us to know what is going on back home, because even though we have moved to Australia and have made a life in this beautiful country, we are still Tongan with close ties back home.”

“We now know the process of raising a complaint and what the Ombudsman can do to investigate it,” he said.

More members of the community were able to join an exclusive panel discussion with the Ombudsman and the delegation on Radio 4EB FM’s Voice of Tonga program. This resulted in a flurry of feedback from the community fostering further interest in the Ombudsman’s effort to promote fair, accountable and responsive administration in government departments and enterprises in Tonga. 

The Tonga Ombudsman Office was formed when legislative changes were made in 2016 upgrading the Public Relations Commission to the Ombudsman Office to provide efficient and fair governance for the people of Tonga.

‘Aisea Taumoepeau was appointed as Tonga’s first Ombudsman.