Australian Guardianship and Administration Council

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:05): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the minister inform the council about the Australian Guardianship and Administration Council meeting that he attended?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for his question, and I would be most pleased to. It was a pleasure to attend the biannual meeting of the Australian Guardianship and Administration Council hosted this year in Adelaide by the South Australian Public Advocate, the Public Trustee and the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The council meeting delegates were comprised of public advocates and tribunals, heads of tribunals, as well as public trustees from all Australian jurisdictions to discuss matters regarding the status of Australian guardianship and administration.

I thank the chair of the council, Dr John Chesterman, and the Public Advocate, Anne Gale, from South Australia as deputy chair for inviting me to open proceedings on the final day of this important meeting. Delegates of the meeting were in Adelaide from 16 to 18 October and attended separate sessions with advocates, trustees and heads of tribunals prior to the meeting on the Friday of all of those parties.

The council was established in 1993 and has 23 membership organisations across every state and territory in Australia. It meets twice yearly—once in person, once online—and aims to advance the common goals of member organisations in the complex area of administration and guardianship. Across the two days, council delegates discussed a range of important topics, including human rights for adults with decision-making impairment, safeguarding adults with decision-making impairment, guardianship, administration and power of attorney laws across jurisdictions, and the new federal Aged Care Act.

I would like to thank all attendees at the council and all staff from their respective units who perform such a critical function to ensure that our most vulnerable adults who need help in decision-making are afforded the protection and the assistance at some of the most difficult times of their lives. I acknowledge that this work is often undertaken in challenging family and social situations, and I thank the people who day-in day-out do this difficult but important work.