Western Australian Current Acts Western Australian Current Acts (1) The functions of
the Public Advocate are as follows —
(a) to
make applications under this Act and to attend hearings of the State
Administrative Tribunal when he thinks fit and when required to do so by the
Tribunal;
(aa)
subject to sections 44(5) and 68(5), to act as a guardian or administrator
either solely or jointly with another person;
(b) at
hearings before the State Administrative Tribunal commenced under this Act, or
where appropriate at hearings under Division 3 of Part 3 —
(i)
to seek to advance the best interests of the represented
person or person to whom the proceedings relate;
(ii)
to present to the Tribunal, judge or Court any
information in his possession that is relevant to the hearing; and
(iii)
to investigate and report to the Tribunal, judge or Court
on any matter or question referred by a court or by the Tribunal, judge or
Court;
(c) to
investigate any complaint or allegation that a person is in need of a guardian
or administrator, or is under an inappropriate guardianship or administration
order, or any matter referred to him by a court or under section 98;
(d) to
seek assistance for any represented person or person in respect of whom an
application has been made from any government department, institution, welfare
organization or the provider of any service and, where appropriate, to arrange
legal representation for any represented person or persons in respect of whom
an application has been made;
(e) to
provide information and advice —
(i)
to a proposed guardian or administrator, as to the
functions of guardians and administrators; and
(ii)
to any person, as to the operation of Part 4;
(f) to
promote public awareness and understanding by the dissemination of information
concerning —
(i)
the provisions of this Act, including those relating to
the functions of the State Administrative Tribunal conferred under this Act,
the Public Advocate and guardians and administrators; and
(ii)
the protection of the rights of represented persons and
persons who may become subject to guardianship or administration orders, and
the protection of such persons from abuse and exploitation;
(g) to
promote family and community responsibility for guardianship and for that
purpose to undertake, co-ordinate and support community education projects;
(h) to
encourage the involvement of government and private bodies and individuals in
achieving the objects described in paragraphs (f) and (g);
(i)
any other function conferred on the Public Advocate by a
written law.
(2) The Public
Advocate may do all things necessary or convenient to be done for or in
connection with the performance of his functions.
[Section 97 amended: No. 7 of 1996 s. 27; No. 55
of 2004 s. 451 and 466; No. 59 of 2004 s. 141; No. 59 of 2006 s. 73.]