As part of Anti-Poverty Week, Advocacy Tasmania Inc and Community Legal Centres Tasmania have released a report entitled The Public Trustee and a Fair and Proportionate Fee Structure for Represented Persons.

The report finds that disability support pensioners subject to Guardianship and Administration Orders are charged 7.4% or $1476.45 of their pension in Public Trustee fees and charges. As a result some are required forego essential items such as food, electricity and safe housing.

The authors are hopeful that the report will lead to reform of the Public Trustee’s fee structure so that the service is provided in a manner that does not create hardship.

The report can be accessed here and a media release here