Connie Lau Not To Seek Second Term As Ombudsman

The Ombudsman Connie Lau will not seek to renew her contract upon its expiry on March 31 next year because of family reasons, her office said on Tuesday.

The office said she wants to spend more time with her family.

Lau was appointed to head the government watchdog in April 2014 on a five-year contract term after a long career at the Consumer Council.

During Lau's tenure, the Office of the Ombudsman initiated a number of direct investigations, including a recent report blasting the Immigration Department for failing to tackle the problem of unregistered births.

According to the Ombudsman Ordinance, the Ombudsman is eligible for reappointment. While the first ever Ombudsman, Alice Tai, was reappointed for a second term in 2004, her successor, Alan Lai, only served one term from 2009.