While the Ombudsman’s office is Government legislated, the funding I think has rightly been put on the Industry or Industries (Businesses) that the Office oversees. It does not mean that an Ombudsman is beholding to the funders, think of it as a tax/levy/royalty they are legally bound to pay regardless of what outcomes occur.
Just because we pay tax does not mean we all have a right to privileged treatment, we are treated as per the tax laws that Governments have enacted, this is I understand the same for the Energy Ombudsman. At one stage I held reservations about how this occurred but discussion with my elected representatives has allayed those fears.
It is perhaps the laws under which they are empowered that could lack the teeth we often desire, I still am often despairing at ACCC outcomes as an example of one oversight organisation that I believe should be better funded and more aggressive.
