Public Trustee Act 1978

The public trustee may, if the public trustee considers it desirable to do so, require that the will of any deceased person be proved in solemn form of law.

The public trustee shall be deemed to be a person having sufficient interest in the estate of a deceased person to object to, or to be heard upon, an application for a grant of administration in respect of the estate of the deceased person, or to object to a grant of probate or of letters of administration with the will being made except upon proof in solemn form of law, and to file a caveat in the registry of the court against such grant, or to apply for an order directing an executor or administrator to whom a grant of probate or of letters of administration with the will has been made to bring the grant into the registry of the court.

The public trustee, either before or after taking any proceedings under this section, may apply ex parte to the court for directions, and the court may give such directions as it thinks proper including a direction to the public trustee to represent persons who may be prejudicially affected by the making of the grant of administration and to defend on their behalf any action which may be brought for probate or letters of administration with the will in solemn form of law and all costs, charges and expenses incurred by the public trustee acting pursuant to any such directions shall be paid out of the estate.