Activities
Initial focus
The Board has decided to focus its attention on the areas of the Public Trustee’s operations most impacting vulnerable members of our community. As a newly constituted board, phase one will also incorporate the establishment of appropriate governance structures to ensure the Board’s effectiveness over the long term.
The Board’s first phase of monitoring (2023-25) will focus on the following key activities:
- Building Board capability and capacity, including through a series of scheduled presentations by key stakeholders, including the Public Advocate and Public Trustee, to provide deep insights on the operation and performance of the Public Trustee’s functions,
- Developing a robust Monitoring Framework, including measures and benchmarks for performance, and working with the Public Trustee and other relevant data custodians to routinely receive administrative and survey data for analysis,
- Monitoring the effectiveness of the Public Trustee’s actions in response to the Queensland Audit Office and Public Advocate reports on the Public Trustee’s complaints management system and its fees, charges and practices,
- Maintaining a contemporary understanding of the impacts of reforms on the Public Trustee and its clients, including the responses of governments and their planned implementation action on the recommendations arising from the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review,
- Developing evidence-based findings and publishing outcomes of monitoring and review activities in the Board’s annual report, and
- Generating advice and recommendations for the Minister and Public Trustee on ways to improve the performance of the Public Trustee.
Recent activity
Since its establishment, the Board has contributed by:
- Undertaking a comprehensive review of the PTQ’s complaints management system and processes and providing findings and recommendations to PTQ. In response, the PTQ has instigated a project to enhance the PTQ’s complaints management processes. This project is ongoing.
- Providing detailed feedback on early stage versions of the PTQ’s Strategic Blueprint and other strategic plans and documents.
- Providing advice on ways to improve the PTQ’s proposed engagement strategy for its Proposed fees and charges reform for key services —public consultation paper, released on 23 February 2024 (Fees and Charges Consultation Paper). The PTQ responded by improving the quality and extent of the public consultation process.
- Responding more broadly to the Fees and Charges Consultation Paper on 31 May 2024. The Board focused on the need for an equitable fees and charges schedule that reflects the vulnerability of the PTQ’s client base.
- Tasking its Secretariat with undertaking comparative research into public trustee organisations and operations in each Australian State and Territory and New Zealand to inform the Board’s advice to the PTQ and Minister.