Australian State and territory public trustees
Public trustees are government agencies established in each state and territory. There were established for the purpose of providing services to the public on end of life matters. For example on:
- wills and will-making;
- acting as executors and trustees. Either by appointment by will when using their will-making services. Or as executor or administrator of last resort in other situations when there is no one else.
- obtaining probate and managing deceased estates;
- managing trust funds;
- acting as attorney when appointed under a power of attorney;
- guardianship (where that function is part of their responsibilities);
- storage of wills in some jurisdictions.
Due care and research should be undertaken to understand what is involved before accessing and signing up to these services.
Below is a table of the public trustees by state and territory.
| Jurisdiction | Public trustee |
|---|---|
| New South Wales |
New South Wales Trustee and Guardian: https://www.tag.nsw.gov.au/ It is part of the New South Wales Government Department of Justice: https://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/ |
| Victoria | State Trustees of Victoria: https://www.statetrustees.com.au/ |
| South Australia | South Australian Public Trustee is at https://publictrustee.sa.gov.au/ |
| Queensland | The Public Trustee of Queensland: https://www.pt.qld.gov.au/ |
| Western Australia | Public Trustee of Western Australia: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/public-trustee |
| Tasmania | The Public Trustee of Tasmania is at https://www.publictrustee.tas.gov.au/ |
| Northern Territory | The public trustee is called the Office of the Public Trustee for the Northern Territory. See About the Public Trustee at https://nt.gov.au/law/processes/about-public-trustee. It is part of the Northern Territory Government, https://nt.gov.au/. |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) |
The Public Trustee and Guardian (PTG): https://www.ptg.act.gov.au/ It provides trustee, guardianship and administration services to residents of the ACT. |
B Stead
BHS Legal
Updated July 2023
Important notice: This article is intended for general interest and information only. It contains general information and is not specific to anyone’s personal circumstances. It is not legal advice nor should it be used as such. Always consult a legal practitioner for specialist legal advice specific to your needs and circumstances and rely upon that. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy at the time of writing applicable laws may change.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Copyright © 2023 BHS Legal, publisher of willshub.com.au. Content is protected by copyright. Please refer to the Terms of Use.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Copyright © 2023 BHS Legal, publisher of willshub.com.au. Content is protected by copyright. Please refer to the Terms of Use.