About the Board
Chairperson’s introduction
It is my privilege to serve as the inaugural Chairperson of the Public Trustee Advisory and Monitoring Board (the Board). The Board was established in December 2022, as an independent statutory body, to provide advice and monitoring of the Public Trustee to enhance th Public Trustee’s performance, transparency, and public accountability. The Board was established in response to Recommendation 30 of the Public Advocate’s 2021 report Preserving the financial futures of vulnerable Queenslanders: A review of Public Trustee fees, charges and practices .
Since formation, the Board has been working extensively with the Public Trustee to gain a thorough understanding of its operations and short and long-term goals and strategies. The Board has used this information to recommend improvements in ways that the Public Trustee operates, in order to better respond to the needs of its customers.
Pleasingly, the Board has developed a very productive working relationship with the Public Trustee, which has already been active in the implementation of several of the Board’s recommendations. As first priority, the Board undertook a significant review of the PTQ’s complaints processes and produced a paper for the Public Trustee as to how they could be improved. The Public Trustee implemented all of the Board’s recommendations. This is just one example of several pieces of work the Board has completed thus far.
The Board was not established to respond to individual complaints relating to the Public Trustee from the members of the public, as there are existing bodies to deal with these (see How to raise concerns or complaints about PTQ’s performance of its functions). Rather, the Board was established as a high-level, policy board to improve the Public Trustee’s processes and services.
I anticipate working with my fellow Board Members over the coming years to contribute to the work of the Public Trustee, with the ultimate goal of seeing vulnerable Queenslanders receive the best possible services and outcomes.
Geoff Rowe
Chairperson
The Board
The Public Trustee has an important role in providing a range of services often to the most vulnerable members of the Queensland community. Through advice and monitoring the Board aims to improve the delivery of services by the Public Trustee.
The Board’s functions
The Board’s functions are to:
- monitor and review the performance of Public Trustee of Queensland’s (PTQ) functions
- monitor complaints received by PTQ about the performance of PTQ’s functions
- monitor and review PTQ’s processes for managing complaints
- provide advice and make recommendations to PTQ about matters relating to the performance of PTQ’s functions
- provide advice and make recommendations to the Attorney-General about the following:
- changes to legislation, or improvements to the policies, practices, resources, services or training of PTQ to ensure that PTQ can effectively perform its functions
- improvements or enhancements to the performance of PTQ’s functions to promote the interests of PTQ’s clients, particularly clients with impaired decision-making capacity.
In performing its functions, the Board must act independently and in the public interest, and is not subject to direction by anyone, including PTQ or the Attorney-General.
The Board’s work
Information about the Board’s work can be found in the Board’s Annual Reports.
Board membership
See profiles for the current Board members.
Things the Board cannot do
The Board’s functions are monitoring and advisory in nature. The Board cannot:
- direct PTQ in relation to client matters or generally
- overrule decisions made by PTQ in relation to client matters
- terminate PTQ’s appointment in relation to client matters
- provide advice or assistance to individual PTQ clients or the public.
How to raise concerns or complaints about PTQ’s performance of its functions
Concerns or complaints about the performance of PTQ’s functions should be directed to PTQ in the first instance.
If your concern or complaint is not resolved through PTQ’s complaints management process, then further options for resolution may include:
- requesting an internal review of PTQ’s original decision or response to the complaint
- seeking assistance from PTQ’s Office of the Customer Advocate
- making a complaint to the Queensland Ombudsman
- in relation to financial administration matters only – making an application to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) seeking a review of PTQ’s appointment as administrator, a declaration about capacity, or QCAT’s advice, directions, or recommendations to PTQ
- if you believe your human rights have been breached and you have made a complaint to PTQ which has not been resolved within 45 working days – making a complaint to the Queensland Human Rights Commission.