About GAAT
The Guardianship and Administration Tribunal (GAAT) was established under the Guardianship and Administration Act 2000, and commenced operations in July 2000. The Tribunal provides a way of meeting the decision-making needs of adults who are unable to make decisions for themselves and where the existing arrangements are not working.
Many people make informal arrangements to help close relatives or friends with impaired decision-making capacity to deal with important choices. However, these arrangements are sometimes inadequate. For example, there may be uncertainty about who should make a decision in a particular situation. The Tribunal provides a legal mechanism for appointing guardians and administrators to make these decisions when the need arises. Most people with impaired decision-making capacity do not need a legally appointed guardian and/or administrator. The Tribunal is a last resort and should only be used when there is a need for a decision to be made and when all other suitable alternatives have been tried.
The Tribunal is an independent statutory body that receives support from a Registry provided by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. The Tribunal and its Registry operate differently to other courts and tribunals. The Tribunal is not adversarial and operates within a protective framework. The Registry is not just a repository for information; the staff of the Registry actively research the circumstances of the adult to make sure the Tribunal has all the relevant information it needs to make decisions.
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