Regional communities given a say on family inheritance

Monday, 3 April 2017

Mount Gambier and Berri will be the focal points of free community meetings this week and next to discuss a key issue of law reform for the state: family inheritance laws.

Members of the South-East and Riverland communities are encouraged to attend the events and have their say, as part of a major review aimed at bringing the state's family inheritance laws into the 21st century.

The review is being conducted by the independent South Australian Law Reform Institute, based at the University of Adelaide.

"Members of the community may not be aware that their so-called 'final' will and testament is not actually final – at least, not in the eyes of the current laws," says Sarah Moulds, researcher with the SA Law Reform Institute and PhD student at the University of Adelaide's Law School.

"Our review will help to address some issues with these laws, which have left the window open to opportunistic claims by certain family members who hope to claim a bigger slice of a deceased person's inheritance. Such a claim could be contrary to the deceased person's express wishes," she says.

"It's important that our state's laws balance the 'deserving' in our community from the 'greedy'. To do this, we need to hear from people in the community with an interest or experience to share."

In Mount Gambier, a free community meeting will be held at the Group Training Employment Function Room, 173 Commercial Street West, from 2.30-3.30pm on Friday 7 April.

In Berri, a free community meeting will be held at the Berri Hotel, Riverview Drive, from 2.30-3.30pm on Monday 10 April.

All are welcome to attend these events.

The University of Adelaide researchers will also meet with members of the local legal communities, to discuss how they're affected by these issues.

Further information about this law reform project – including an online survey, fact sheets and videos – can be found at: https://yoursay.sa.gov.au

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