Summary
Ethics in modern governance has been one of the more enduring themes in the study of government at least since the time of Machiavelli. This is especially true with democratic governance where so much depends upon mutual trust whether it between the general public and its elected politicians and appointed public servants, or amongst those who occupy positions within public institutions. But what happens if and when a public official does not act in the public interest, or if there is a question or complaint about an administrative decision or action? Within this context, we can view the role of the Ombudsman as a type of oversight mechanism that can have the impact of ensuring trust in the administrative state.