Performance record organisational structure, working methods and responsibilities of the AOB in brief working sessions. 1.6 The members of the AOB take stock 1.6.1 Ombudsman Günther Kräuter I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all of our staff for their dedication, their competence and the empathy with which they encounter people who are often in very difficult circumstances, and try to find solutions for their problems. I would also like to thank our six commissions and the members of the Human Rights Advisory Council, and express my recognition of their ongoing commitment for the protection of human rights in Austria. The AOB works intensively with civil society. This is an extremely useful and fruitful cooperation for both sides. The institutionalised collaboration with Disability Ombudsmen, children and youth advocates, patient advocates as well as residents representatives is also very much in the interests of the affected persons. I would also like to thank the Parliament and federal government bodies for the respectful collaboration. We are happy that a major request of the AOB was acknowledged and that our staff will be increased by three permanent in 2017. Parliamentary discourse is important On the positive side, we have made some headway in meeting a declared goal of the staff in this term of office: an increasing number of Laender have recognised that direct exchange with the AOB in the Diets is what a great part of the citizens would like to see. Traditionally, in the Diet of Vienna the ombudspersons debate with the parliamentarians in both, the committee and in the plenary sessions. In Styria and in Salzburg – and soon also in Carinthia – regional legal regulations govern participation in meetings in the committees of the Diets. In Burgenland, Upper Austria and Tyrol, the AOB also informs the parliamentarians in the Diet about maladministration, the findings from the visits made by the NPM commissions and the resulting recommendations. We are optimistic that in 2017 it will become clear also in Lower Austria that there is room for improvement in terms of democratic politics. It is the right of the citizens, that Lower Austrian politics enable a direct discussion with the AOB concerning complaints, inadequacies, deficits or even maladministration. Ombudsman of the Federal Government and the Laender 29