Abolishing Public Advocate makes no sense

Why would the Queensland government want to get rid of The Public Advocate when it is one of the very best offices established by a Labor government in this decade?Indeed, the Queensland government was applauded for the leadership it showed in establishing this statutory office in 2000 to safeguard the rights of Queenslanders with impaired decision making.

Queenslanders have come to rely upon The Public Advocate for its independence and have benefited from its systemic advocacy which has been acknowledged for its excellence.

Because The Public Advocate is not a service provider of day to day guardianship services, it continues to give confidence to Queenslanders with impaired decision making and their families precisely because it is a separate statutory office, a human rights watchdog; because it is independent and reports directly to Parliament.

The original decision by the Labor government in 2000 to install the Office of the Public Advocate was as right and needed then as it is now. Nothing fundamental has changed in that time.

The Disability sector did not give a mandate to Labor to remove such a valued statutory office.

This Association calls on the Queensland government to
retain The Public Advocate.

Issued 24 April.