National Student Ombudsman now available to support ECEC students and others

An Independent National Student Ombudsman is now available to those in higher education, providing an opportunity for students to get support in resolving complaints and disputes with universities. 

Sarah Bendall will lead the new National Student Ombudsman function of the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s office.

The creation of the National Student Ombudsman role forms part of the Action Plan to address gender-based violence in higher education, agreed to by Education Ministers earlier last year.

The 2021 National Student Safety Survey showed that one in 20 students have been sexually assaulted since they started university and one in six had been sexually harassed. One in two have felt like they weren’t heard when they made a complaint.

“Universities aren’t just places where people work and study, they are also places where people live, and we need to ensure they are safe,”  Minister for Education Jason Clare said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus agreed, saying “everyone should feel safe and supported on university campuses so they have the best chance to succeed and thrive.”

“The National Student Ombudsman opening its doors means that now students have a place to go where they can be heard and action can be taken.”

The Ombudsman will also be able to take complaints from students about a provider’s handling of other matters, for example where a student is subjected to antisemitism, Islamophobia or other forms of racism on campus. 

It will not handle complaints about issues such as academic judgement or employment matters.

The Ombudsman will allow higher education students to escalate complaints about the actions of their higher education provider.

The Ombudsman will:

• consider whether decisions and actions taken by higher education providers are unreasonable, unjust, oppressive, discriminatory, or otherwise wrong
• recommend a provider takes specific steps to resolve the complaint
• share information with relevant regulators for further compliance action if needed
• offer a restorative engagement process between the student and the provider where appropriate, and
• bring parties together to resolve complaints through an alternative resolution process.

The Ombudsman will also have strong investigative powers, similar to those of a Royal Commission, including:

• to require a university to provide information, documents or other records relevant to an investigation
• to enter premise of a university as part of an investigation, and
• to require an officer or employee of a university to attend and answer questions before the Ombudsman.

The Federal Government will also shortly introduce legislation to establish a National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence.

The National Code will set standards and requirements that all higher education providers must meet to make students and staff safer. 

Students can lodge a complaint or find out more by visiting www.nso.gov.au

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800respect.org.au or text 0458 737 732.