In a move fraught with risk for already vulnerable clients, Attorney General Guy Barnett today announced the Public Trustee’s commercial will, estate and trustee services will be transferred to the private sector.
Having underfunded the Public Trustee for years, the result is a restructure and privatisation.
This can’t be a lawyers’ picnic, at the expense of vulnerable Tasmanians.
In Budget Estimates today, the Greens asked the Attorney General how this move would not lead to extra, private sector legal costs for Tasmanians whose finances are being managed by the Public Trustee.
Mr Barnett made all the right sounds about having a close eye on managing the impact of this privatisation on vulnerable Tasmanians, but was thin on detail about how they will be protected from unnecessary, expensive legal fees.
The Greens will be watching this space very closely to ensure already vulnerable Tasmanians aren’t bled dry financially by the privatisation of core Public Trustee legal services.
