Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

With ceremony, but not with pomp, the governor general of Australia, Sir Ninian Stephen, formally opened the Fourth International Conference of Ombudsmen in Canberra, Australia, on October 23, 1988. These ombudsmen from around the globe were mainly government officials who smooth the rough edges of complaints by citizens, assisting those caught in bureaucratic coils and monitoring fairness on the part of executive agencies. The ombudsmen, in turn, report to legislative bodies at local, state, or national levels; thus, they are independent of those they monitor. Also in attendance were legislators from several Canadian provinces, West German states, and the German Bundestag, who interact with ombudsmen in their respective countries.