Our purpose
We exist to support the estate wishes and financial interests of the South Australians we serve.
Our vision
To be a trusted and respected financial and estate professional organisation that is flexible, responsive, and empathetic.
Our values
Service | Professionalism | Trust | Respect | Collaboration and Engagement | Honest and Integrity | Courage and Tenacity | Sustainability
Our objectives
Our Customers
We promote a culture of responsiveness and resolution which shows empathy and respect.
Our People
We support the development and wellbeing of our valued staff.
Our Business
We improve our business processes and systems and drive performance whilst effectively managing risk.
Our strategies
Our Customers
- Understand our customers and their needs
- Ensure customers can easily communicate with us
- Advocate for policy and process changes that impact on our customers
- Improve customer communications including timeliness
Our People
Support a positive culture for the health and wellbeing of our people
Invest in the skills of our staff and develop leadership capability and capacity
Foster and enable resilient and high performing teams
Ensure our HR function is able to support the business
Provide a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace
Ensure we have people with the right skills to respond to the organisation’s current and emerging needs
Our Business
Mature our new core business systems and streamline our processes to improve efficiency and customer service
Meet performance standards agreed with the government and collaborate with other government agencies
Utilise AGD and other government agencies where they are able to improve services that support the
businessContinuous governance and risk management
The Hon Kyam Maher MLC is Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Arts, and Special Minister of State.
The Attorney-General is the state’s principal legal advisor to the government and responsible for the administration of justice.
The Attorney-General is a member of Cabinet and responsible for:
- specific legislation and the state's legal system
- developing and implementing policy
- legal action relevant to the state government.
Tony Brumfield
The Public Trustee
The Public Trustee is responsible to the Attorney-General for the efficient management of the Public Trustee Office and the effective implementation of the Public Trustee Act 1995. The role encompasses acting as administrator, executor or trustee of deceased estates, as administrator or manager of estates of protected persons and as attorney or agent. The Public Trustee is also the trustee for minors as a result of distributions in intestate estates administered by private administrators and by appointment as trustee for other trusts and Wills.
Elizabeth Williams
Chief Operating Officer
The Chief Operating Officer is accountable for the delivery of a compliant, best practice and comprehensive range of business and operational support services. This includes corporate financial, accounting, administrative services, procurement, human resource management, information technology, internal communication, regulatory services and risk management. The role is also accountable for financial services for customers including financial management and reporting, accounts payable and receivable, funds management, taxation, and superannuation services.
David Mazzone
Director Customer Services
The Director, Customer Services ensures the delivery of high-quality deceased estate, trust, financial administration, Will-making and litigation guardian services. The role provides high level leadership to develop and implement business reform strategies to enhance the customer’s experience and create a positive service focused culture.
Public Trustee Act 1995
Under the provisions of Section 5(2) of the Public Trustee Act 1995, the Public Trustee may act as: a trustee, executor of a Will, administrator of an estate (whether or not of a deceased person), manager, receiver, committee, curator, guardian, next friend, agent, attorney, or stakeholder.
Other Acts that form the basis of how, and which, Public Trustee services are delivered to customers are as follows:
- Aged and Infirm Persons’ Property Act 1940
- Family Relationships Act 1975
- Guardianship and Administration Act 1993
- Legal Practitioners Act 1981
- Powers of Attorney and Agency Act 1984
- South Australian Civil and Administrative Act 2013
- Trustee Act 1936
- Succession Act 2023
The Public Trustee is a Government Business Enterprise and is also a business unit of the South Australian Attorney-General’s Department (AGD). As such, the Public Trustee has its own policy framework and also complies with a number of AGD policies. The Public Trustee employees are employees of the AGD.
The Public Trustee works closely with the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) who appoint the Public Trustee to administer the personal financial and/or legal affairs of people who are unable to manage their own affairs. The Public Trustee works with the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) when there are mutual customers, i.e., OPA as guardian and the Public Trustee as financial administrator.