Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act 1995 (SA)

South Australia Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act 1995 An Act to establish the Office for Ageing Well, to safeguard the rights of ageing persons and other vulnerable adults, to provide for the establishment of the Adult Safeguarding Unit, to prevent abuse of ageing people and other vulnerable adults, and for other purposes.

Contents Part 1—Preliminary 1 Short title 2 Interpretation 3 Meaning of vulnerable adult 4 Meaning of abuse 5 Decision‑making capacity 6 Interaction with Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 Part 2—Office for Ageing Well 7 Office for Ageing Well 8 Objectives of Office for Ageing Well 9 Functions of Office for Ageing Well 10 Delegation 11 Annual report Part 3—Adult Safeguarding Unit Division 1—Principles 12 Principles Division 2—Adult Safeguarding Unit 13 Separate Adult Safeguarding Unit to be established 14 Composition of Adult Safeguarding Unit 15 Functions of Adult Safeguarding Unit 16 Delegation 17 Annual report Division 3—Authorised officers 18 Authorised officers 19 Powers of authorised officers Part 4—Safeguarding vulnerable adults Division 1—Charter of the Rights and Freedoms of Vulnerable Adults 20 Charter of the Rights and Freedoms of Vulnerable Adults Division 2—Code of practice 21 Minister may publish codes of practice Division 3—Reporting suspected risk of abuse of vulnerable adults 22 Reporting suspected risk of abuse of vulnerable adults Division 4—Assessment and investigation of reports 23 Assessment 24 Consent of vulnerable adult should be obtained before certain action taken 25 Director may refer matter 26 Director may cause circumstances of vulnerable adult to be investigated Division 5—Further referral of matters 27 Director may report certain matters to appropriate professional body 28 Director may make complaints to Ombudsman 29 Director may make complaints to Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner 30 Referral of matters to inquiry agencies etc not affected Division 6—Court orders 31 Director may apply for Court orders 32 Parties to proceedings 33 Orders that may be made 34 Court not bound by rules of evidence 35 Views of vulnerable adult to be heard 36 Right of other interested persons to be heard 37 Contravention of Court order Part 5—Reviews of certain decisions Division 1—Internal review 38 Internal review 39 Delegation Division 2—External review by Ombudsman 40 External review by Ombudsman 41 Views of vulnerable adult to be heard Part 6—Information gathering 42 Authorised officer may require information 43 Sharing of information between certain persons and bodies 44 No obligation to maintain secrecy 45 Interaction with Public Sector (Data Sharing) Act 2016 Part 7—Miscellaneous 46 Obstruction of person reporting suspected abuse of vulnerable adults 47 Obstruction of Director etc 48 False or misleading statements 49 Confidentiality 50 Victimisation 51 Protections, privileges and immunities 52 Service 53 Review of Act 54 Regulations Legislative history