The ‘Guardianship and Administration Act 1990’ sounds very formal but for many people in our community, including older people, this act has a big impact on the way they live their lives. In 2025 this Act will be under the review spotlight. Be part of this reform process!
Over the next few months, there’s an opportunity for people and service providers to be involved in this process before the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia (LRCWA) makes its recommendations to the Government.
An important role of the Commission is to help keep the law updated to ensure it’s meeting the needs of the people it’s designed to support and to seek input into ways to improve it. In essence, the review is to make sure it’s in step with modern ideas and lived experience. For example, does it reflect the diversity of needs across different cultures and communities in Western Australia?
It will give the Government important information about helping those people who need help to make decisions and ensure they’ll be treated equally and with dignity.
As the Seniors Peak Body, Advocare is already crafting our submission based on the questions we receive and people’s stories about Guardianship matters.
A recap on the Guardianship and Administration Act
In Western Australia, the Act says that in some situations, a person can become the guardian or administrator for another person who is unable to make decisions for themselves.
Under the Act, a guardian or administrator can make decisions for that other person. These could include general financial decisions, decisions about where to live, who to live with, health decisions, selling a house and other spending scenarios.
People these laws might apply to include:
- people with disability
- older people with dementia
- people with a head injury
- people with mental illness.
Get involved in the Act’s review
The opportunity to have your input is now underway. The Commission would like to talk with as many people and service providers as possible who have been involved in, or have a connection to, guardianship and/or administration matters and can speak to the issues.
If you’re a service provider or a person with an interest in this area, get involved by sending in your views in writing, via an online survey, or by talking with the Commission about your ideas and opinions.
Keep a look out for an invitation to do this via newspapers, newsletters and online advertisements, or head straight to the Commission’s website and make your opportunity happen!
Visit the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia’s website to keep track of the timeline for this activity, and the most up-to-date information on progress.
