August 31, 2025
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Penrith Lawyers
Call Us (02) 4731 5899Ensure someone you trust can make critical decisions when you can’t. Appoint an enduring guardian with the confidence that comes from 40+ years of estate planning experience.
Years of Elder Law experience
Accredited Specialists in Wills & Estates
Law Society of NSW Members
Years Serving Western Sydney Seniors

A future disability, such as a stroke or dementia, could prevent you from making decisions about your health care, where you live, and other key lifestyle choices.
Many people prepare for the possibility that one day they may not be capable of decision making, and will need one or more persons they trust to make health and lifestyle decisions for them. This is done by appointing an enduring guardian(s) of their choice, while they still have the mental capacity to do so. Anyone over the age of 18 with legal capacity is able to appoint an enduring guardian.
The appointment will only come into effect when the person who made the appointment is unable to make decisions for themself as a result of incapacity. The opinion of a medical professional about whether you have actually lost legal capacity may be needed before the appointment can take effect.
You can choose which decisions you want your enduring guardian to make, these are called ‘functions’. You can give your guardian as many or as few functions as you like and directions about how they should carry out their functions.
Examples of the functions of enduring guardians include:
Making an appointment of an enduring guardian is the best way to ensure that somebody you trust will have the important job of making these decisions on your behalf.
Since 1991, Bateman Battersby has served as the cornerstone of legal excellence in Western Sydney. We combine institutional knowledge with innovative strategies to provide sophisticated legal services that builds and protects generational success.
We create comprehensive legal solutions that consider both immediate needs and long-term concerns. Our heritage of excellence ensures that when the stakes are high and the matters are complex, you have proven and reliable advocates in your corner.

Yes, you can revoke (that is, cancel) your appointment at any time as long as you still have the mental capacity to do so.
It will be necessary to take certain steps if you wish to revoke your appointment of Enduring Guardian, which we can assist you with. It is important that you seek legal advice if you wish to revoke the appointment to ensure that it is done correctly.
If you have not appointed an Enduring Guardian, then a family member or friend will need to apply to the Guardianship Tribunal for an order that they should be your Guardian and be able to make health and lifestyle choices for you. The Guardianship Tribunal will need to consider the evidence available about your situation, and about the people that could be appointed your Guardian. This process can be very stressful, time consuming and expensive, especially if decisions need to be made for you immediately.
Rather than go through this process, it is easier and less expensive for your family if you appoint an Enduring Guardian ahead of time.
Your Enduring Guardian cannot make decisions about what is known as ‘special medical treatment’. Examples of special medical treatment include termination of pregnancies and administering a drug of addiction over a lengthy period of time. If you are under the care of a Guardian, then only the Guardianship Tribunal can decide on whether these treatments can go ahead.
Your Enduring Guardian cannot make decisions about your property or financial affairs, including decisions about your Will. Also they cannot cast any vote on your behalf or consent to marriage.
Anyone with a genuine concern for the way your Guardian is carrying out their role can apply to the Guardianship Tribunal for a review of the actions of the Guardian. The Tribunal has the power to revoke or change the appointment of your Enduring Guardian if it thinks necessary. The Tribunal will initiate a review and possibly appoint a new Enduring Guardian.
Enduring Guardianship ends when you either revoke the appointment, you die, or if the Guardianship Tribunal makes a particular Order ending the appointment due to a concern about the way your Guardian is carrying out their role.
It is vital that the person you appoint as your Enduring Guardian is somebody that you trust will make the best health and lifestyle decisions for you when you are incapable of doing so for yourself. The decisions that your Guardian can make are very important, as they will directly affect your health and well being.
People normally choose a trustworthy family member or a relative as their Enduring Guardian. It is important to choose someone who has your best interests at heart, and who you believe will make the right decisions for you.
You can appoint more than one Enduring Guardian. You can also elect whether joint Guardians are to make decisions together, or whether they can make decisions independently without conferring with each other if circumstances require.
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