What is an Enduring Power of Guardianship?

An Enduring Power of Guardianship is required to ensure the person you want in control of your care needs is appointed.

An enduring power of guardianship (also known as an EPG) is a legal document where the Donor (person making the EPG) appoints a person or people (maximum of two) called the 'Guardian' to make personal and lifestyle decisions on your behalf should you be unable to make those decisions for yourself anymore.

This includes decisions such as your living arrangement, support services, and access to and types of medical treatments received and administered.

An EPG usually operates in conjunction with an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) but can be a different person to the Attorney. They occasionally act in conjunction with Advanced Health Directives.

Making an EPG is the only way to ensure that the person you pick and want to be in control of your personal, lifestyle and medical treatments and decisions, is actually in control of those decisions if you are ever unable to do make those decisions for yourself any more.

In the absence of a valid EPG, your family would be required to make an application to the State Administrative Tribunal, for someone to be appointed, which if agreements cannot be reached, may also include having the Public Advocate (government appointed bodies) appointed to make these decisions for you. This often adds considerable time and expense to you / your estate at a time when efficiency and minimising expenses may need to be expedited.