Western Australia’s (WA) Ombudsman Chris Field has been found guilty by the state’s Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) of engaging in serious misconduct after he failed to declare taxpayer-funded travel.
It also found he has displayed a “disturbing lack of familiarity” with the laws governing his role.
He has been in the role, which handles complaints about the public service, for more than 17 years.
During 2022 and 2023, Field was also president of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). The Commission alleged he had failed to seek approval for international travel on Institute business, paid for through his office, despite clear government guidelines to the contrary.
He therefore created a “sham” process to approve trips the United States, parts of Europe, the Middle East and Asia, costing more than $223,400 (US$150,000) in the 2022/23 financial year, the report said. Often he was accompanied by his deputy, Rebecca Poole.
He also failed to declare travel and accommodation which had been provided to him by others. Those trips included cultural exchanges with Uzbekistan, Bahrain, and Canada, a meeting with the president of the OECD in Paris, and attending a candlelight vigil with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In August 2023, Field entered into a contract for €129,640 (A$210,000) with the OECD, for to undertake a survey on the role of ombudsmen in civil society.
“In doing so, he breached procurement rules and failed to keep [a] proper record,” the CCC report said.
WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti asked for information about the OECD project, but according to the report, he “misled the treasurer by creating a document on procurement of services that contained falsehoods.”
‘Arrogant Disregard’: Corruption and Crime Commission
The Commission questioned the reliability of Field’s evidence and said his testimony indicated he had an “unmanageable conflict of interest” in decisions he made as both Ombudsman and Institute head.It also claimed he directed public servants to work on Institute business—from writing his speeches to handling aspects of his travel—even before he had been elected president.
“Mr. Field asserted he was acting within his functions in utilising state funds for matters falling outside his statutory functions,” the report read. “Yet the evidence reveals that he acted in arrogant disregard of his functions under the [law].
“In decisions he made as IOI President and Ombudsman, he had an unmanageable conflict of interest. The conflict of interest compromised every funding decision made by him, materially benefitting the IOI.”
“[He] continually failed to declare travel and hospitality, contrary to his office’s policies. If his evidence is true, Mr Field displayed a disturbing lack of familiarity with, and understanding of, his own legislation,” the Commission concluded.
Field to Resign
Field has been on extended leave for the past five months after CCC Commissioner John McKechnie advised him to do so. At the time, he made a public statement saying his decisions to travel as president of the International Ombudsman Institute were part of his broader duties and were never made secret.The CCC said Field was “not motivated by greed or personal gain” but had still acted “in arrogant disregard of his functions” as the Ombudsman.
State Premier Roger Cook called on Field to resign, saying the report’s findings were stark and clear.Similarly, Opposition leader Shane Love said Field’s conduct was “completely unacceptable” and called on him to resign immediately.
In a statement, Field said he will hand in his resignation later today, adding that he believed he was denied “proper procedural fairness” in the final stages of the Commission’s process.
