Public Guardian Act 2014

A person is eligible for appointment as a community visitor (adult) only if the public guardian considers the person has knowledge, experience or skills needed to perform the functions of a community visitor (adult).

However, a person may not hold office as a community visitor (adult) while the person—

is a public service employee of the disability services department or the health department; or

has a direct pecuniary interest in any contract with the disability services department or the health department; or

has a direct pecuniary interest in any visitable site; or

holds office as the chief executive officer of the NDIS agency; or

is an employee of the NDIS agency; or

is a consultant engaged by the NDIS agency under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cwlth), section 171; or

holds office as the NDIS commissioner; or

is an employee of the NDIS commission; or

is a consultant engaged by the NDIS commissioner under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cwlth), section 181V.

In appointing persons as community visitors (adult), the public guardian must take into account the desirability of community visitors (adult)—

having a range of knowledge, experience or skills relevant to the exercise of the functions of community visitors (adult); and

reflecting the social and cultural diversity of the general community.

A community visitor (adult) is appointed under this Act and not under the Public Sector Act 2022.

For subsection (2), a person is taken to have a direct pecuniary interest if the person’s spouse has a direct pecuniary interest.