News
OPA Telephone outage - Advance Notice
07/02/2020
On Sunday 9 February 2020 the Government voice network will be experiencing a voice outage from 10am - 11:30am. At this time the Office of the Public Advocate may not able receive calls for around an hour and half.
During this time if you have an emergency situation you will need to directly call our paging service on 8378 3333.
Please note you will still be able to e-mail the office at opa@agd.sa.gov.au and your e-mail will be returned on the next business day.
Thank you for your understanding during this outage.
Annual Report 2018-19
06/12/2019
The annual report for 2018-2019 has been tabled. To view the report please click here.
New Videos
20/08/2019
Office of the Public Advocate has released three videos about the role of the office, guardianship and advcance care directives. Check out the three videos here:
OPA has Moved....
06/05/2019
I wish to advise that the Office of the Public Advocate has now moved to new premises.
Please note our phone number remains unchanged but our postal address and fax number has changed.
Full location details are:
Office of the Public Advocate
Level 8, Chesser House
95 Grenfell Street, Adelaide
((WIDGET Map 4nFCKBnnsh5t4lbk))
Postal Address will now be:
GPO Box 464 Adelaide, SA, 5000
Phone: 08 8342 8200
Fax: 08 8429 6121
Email opa@agd.sa.gov.au
If you have not updated your records please do so.
Thank you
Anne Gale
Public Advocate
Reform to OPA and Public Trustee Services
16/04/2019
The State Government has announced its intention to merge the Office of the Public Advocate and the Public Trustee, under reforms aimed at improving services to vulnerable South Australians. The Public Trustee (publictrustee.sa.gov.au) acts as a financial administrator for those South Australians who cannot manage their own affairs, preparing Wills and managing Enduring Powers of Attorney for eligible customers and acting as executor for deceased estates. These reforms will require legislative change and, in the short term at least, it will continue to be business as usual. More information on the proposed reforms can be found here. Click Here
Annual Report 2017-18
13/11/2018
The annual report for 2017-2018 has been tabled. To view the report please click here.
Empowerment Decision Making Information Session
13/08/2018
What happens if there comes a time when you are not able to make your own decisions about your health, accommodation, personal decisions and finances?
How can you be sure that your decisions will be made to reflect your wishes, views and values and by the people that you choose?
The session will answer frequently asked questions such as;
When can a person make these documents? What kind of decision does each document cover? When do the documents come into effect? What are informal arrangements for people who aren’t able to make their own decisions?
The session will be held at the Office of the Public Advocate
ABC Building, 85 North East Road, Collinswood
Friday 14th September 10:00am – 12:00pm
Places are limited so please contact Michelle Howse or Renee Sumner-Makris on 83428200 or opa@agd.sa.gov.au as soon as possible to reserve your place.
Information Kits and Tea and Coffee will be provided
World Elder Abuse Day 2018
14/06/2018
This Friday, June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), the United Nations designated day to voice our opposition to the abuse inflicted on older people, most commonly by their families.
It is a day to promote ‘there’s no excuse for abuse’and to let older people in our communities know they have rights, including a right to be safe and to be treated with dignity and respect.
This year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) coincides with the Government’s commitment to introduce adult safeguarding legislation in the first 100 days of office.
The Office of the Public Advocate is a member of the Alliance for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (APEA), along with the Public Trustee, the Aged Rights Advocacy Service (ARAS), the Legal Services Commission and the South Australia Police.
Some staff of the Office of the Public Advocate are attending the WEAAD conferencein Adelaide on Friday 15 June and other staff are supporting awareness by wearing purple to work.
For support or information concerning elder abuse contact:
- the SA Elder Abuse Prevention Phone Line on 1800 372 310 for free confidential advice and support
- the Aged Rights Advocacy Service (ARAS) for abuse prevention advocacy
- the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner if the matter concerns residential aged care facilities.
16 April 2018 - Community Education Session
26/03/2018
The Office of the Public Advocate will be providing a free consumer education session: a Pathway to Your Future Care.
This will cover all the relevant information you need to put your future plans in place in case you become unable to make your own decisions.
The session will provide detailed information about Advance Care Directives and Enduring Powers of Attorney, including what they are, how to complete one and how they will be used.
There will be Q&A session and free Advance Care Directive forms, Do It Yourself Kits and brochures will be available for all participants.
When: 16 April 2018 - 10:30am - 12:30pm
Where: Level 7, ABC Building, 85 North East Road Collinswood. Please arrive 15 minutes earlier
Tea and coffee will be provided, so we hope to see you there. Seats are limited so please contact Michelle Howse on (08) 8342 8200 or by email opa@agd.sa.gov.au to book your place.
Private Guardians Manual and New Fact Sheets
24/11/2017
Launch of Private Guardians Manual and New Fact Sheets
The Hon Katrine Hildyard, Minister for Disabilities, launched the new Private Guardians Manual in plain language style on Thursday 23 November 2017. The manual is also available in ‘easy read’ format. The Minister also launched three ‘easy read’ Fact Sheets – ‘Guardianship and the Public Advocate’, ‘Informal Arrangements’ and ‘Consent to Medical and Dental Treatment’.
