Responding to the financial abuse of older people - Loddon ...

Schedule 1: Office of the Public Advocate –
other State and Territory equivalents continued
Jurisdiction
Governing
body
Western Australia Office of
the Public
Advocate
South Australia Office of
the Public
Advocate
Powers (conferred
by legislation)
Guardianship and
Administration Act
1990 (WA)
Guardianship and
Administration Act
1993 (SA)
Avenue
of relief
State
Administrative
Tribunal
Guardianship
Board
Administrative
Division of the
District Court of
South Australia
Differences to the Victorian Office
of the Public Advocate
The WA Public Advocate is an independent statutory
officer to promote and protect the ‘rights, dignity and
autonomy’ of people with decision-making disabilities
and to reduce their risk of neglect, exploitation and
abuse. The powers and function of the WA Public
Advocate are generally similar to those of the Victorian
Public Advocate, save that the investigative power
is broader as it may initiate investigation of the
circumstances of people for whom an application
for guardian or administrator is made to the State
Administrative Tribunal. The WA Public Advocate also
provides advisory services to the general public.
The Office of the Public Advocate takes on some
individual advocacy work but is mainly concerned
with systems advocacy. It can undertake its own
investigations into the circumstances of a person who
is believed to have a mental incapacity and is at risk
in some way (not just when requested by the
Guardianship Board).
There is a Review Committee chaired by an independent
Chairperson and with members from a range of
backgrounds, including the general public.
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