South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts21—General functions of Public Advocate
(1) The functions of
the Public Advocate are—
(a) to
keep under review, within both the public and the private sector, all
programmes designed to meet the needs of mentally incapacitated persons;
(b) to
identify any areas of unmet needs, or inappropriately met needs, of
mentally incapacitated persons and to recommend to the Minister the
development of programmes for meeting those needs or the improvement of
existing programmes;
(c) to
speak for and promote the rights and interests of any class of
mentally incapacitated persons or of mentally incapacitated persons generally;
(d) to
speak for and negotiate on behalf of any mentally incapacitated person in the
resolution of any problem faced by that person arising out of his or her
mental incapacity;
(e) to
give support to and promote the interests of carers of mentally
incapacitated persons;
(f) to
give advice on the powers that may be exercised under this Act in relation to
mentally incapacitated persons, on the operation of this Act generally and on
appropriate alternatives to taking action under this Act;
(g) to
monitor the administration of this Act and, if he or she thinks fit, make
recommendations to the Minister for legislative change;
(h) to
perform such other functions as are assigned to the Public Advocate by or
under this Act or any other Act.
(2) In performing his
or her functions the Public Advocate is not subject to the control or
direction of the Minister.
(3)
The Public Advocate may establish committees for the purpose of providing him
or her with advice in relation to the performance of any of his or her
functions.