New Public Transport Ombudsman appointed

The Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon McKenzie as the new Ombudsman following a nation-wide search.

Simon has led the PTO as Acting Ombudsman since June 2020 and has worked for the organisation for almost eight years, most recently as Deputy Ombudsman and Operations Manager before that, since joining in 2013.

Image shows Public Transport Ombudsman, Simon McKenzie. Simon is a Caucasian man with closely cropped hair and he is smiling for the photo. He is wearing a black pinstripe suit jacket, white checked shirt and navy tie with white dots. The blurred background shows buildings and trees in the Melbourne CBD.

Kay Rundle, Chair of the PTO Board, announced the appointment this week and congratulated Simon on his promotion.

“Simon has a wealth of experience in alternative dispute resolution and has well-developed relationships with public transport operators, advocacy groups and community stakeholders,” Ms Rundle said.

“Simon has experience in a broad range of management roles, leading teams in for-profit and not-for-profit organisations. He has also held senior management roles with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman,” Ms Rundle added.

Reflecting on his appointment, Simon said he was excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead, with one of his first priorities to engage with stakeholders and industry about how public transport and associated infrastructure projects will continue to evolve to meet community expectations.

“I’m honoured to take on the important position as Victoria’s Public Transport Ombudsman and am excited at the prospect of listening and acting on community concerns, and member’s ideas, about how to address individual and broader issues.

“It is my aim to continue to improve the way we address complaints and feedback about public transport in Victoria, and contribute to improving the public transport experience for everyone.

“My team and I have worked tirelessly throughout a very challenging year, continuing to receive and address unresolved complaints about public transport, an essential service for Victorians needing to travel for work, health care or care-giving during the pandemic,” Mr McKenzie said.

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll congratulated Simon McKenzie on his appointment as Ombudsman.

“I’m pleased to congratulate Simon on his appointment as Ombudsman. As we continue Victoria’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and encourage people back onto the public transport network, a strong Ombudsman is vital to ensure we’re delivering the best possible services for all Victorians,” Minister Carroll said.

A qualified lawyer and graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Simon volunteers as director of Distinctive Options Ltd, a Sunbury-based provider of disability and support services under the NDIS. Other organisations Simon has worked for include Harrods of London, Alsco Services and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Simon has been appointed for a three-year term and will take up the position from Monday 22 March 2021.

The PTO office is open during standard business hours, or enquiries can be lodged out of hours via the online complaint form, via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone on 1800 466 865 (leave a message out of hours). We can also be contacted via The National Relay Service and Translating and Interpreting Service.

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