The independent South Australian Law Reform Institute (SALRI) based at the University of Adelaide is inviting views from the community and interested parties as part of its review of the State's laws on Powers of Attorney.
In the face of increasing concerns about the abuse of Powers of Attorney, SALRI wants to hear from everyday South Australians. They will be visiting Berri, Port Lincoln and Port Pirie to gather the views of the community and interested parties.
"We are keen to hear widely from the community and interested parties. We want to identify the problems or concerns with the current law regarding Powers of Attorney, gather the views of the South Australian community about how the law could be improved and we will consider alternative options implemented in other Australian jurisdictions," says Director of SALRI, the University of Adelaide's Professor John Williams.
Powers of Attorney (POAs) - more formally called Enduring Powers of Attorney - are legal documents which allow an individual (known as a principal) to confer authority upon another person (their attorney) to make financial decisions in accordance with the individual's values, preferences and directions.
"Powers of Attorney are excellent tools for planning ahead for later life and their benefits outweigh the risks. But while originally designed with good intentions in mind, this law can now have unwelcome results in practice."Dr Sylvia Villios
In order to widely consult the community SALRI will:
- Visit regional South Australia including drop-in sessions at
Berri: Friday 7 August, 2.15-3.15 pm. Berri Hotel (Riverview Lounge), Riverview Drive
Port Lincoln: Friday 14 August, 10.30-11.30 am. Port Lincoln Hotel (Ballroom), 1 Lincoln Highway
Port Pirie: Tuesday 18 August, 10.30-11.30 am. Virtus Soccer Club Clubhouse, 26 Magor Road
- Collect feedback from interested people via the YourSAy website until Friday 4 September 2020
