An authorised witness can also certify copies of the original Advance Care Directive.
The following persons, or classes of persons, are authorised witnesses:
- Registered professionals such as teachers, nurses, doctors or pharmacists.
- Lawyers or Justices of the Peace (JP).
- Local, State or Commonwealth Government employees with more than 5 years continuous service.
- Bank managers or police officers with more than 5 years continuous service.
- Ministers of religion or marriage celebrants.
Eligible authorised witnesses also include:
- Agents of the Australian Postal Corporation in charge of an office supplying postal services to the public or permanent employees of the Australian Postal Corporation with 5 or more years continuous service.
- Australian Consular Officers or Australian Diplomatic Officers.
- Bailiffs, sheriffs, sheriff’s officers.
- Chief executive officers of Commonwealth Courts.
- Clerks of Courts.
- Commissioners for taking affidavits and/or declarations.
- Employees of the Australian Trade Commission, or employees of the Commonwealth who are in a country or place outside Australia.
- Fellows of the National Tax and Accountants’ Association.
- Statutory Office Holders.
- Judges of Courts, Magistrates or Masters of Court or Court Registrars or Deputy Registrars.
- Members of: Governance Institute of Australia, Engineers Australia, Association of Taxation and Management Accountants, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
- Australian Defence Force Officer or non-commissioned officer or a warrant officer with 5 or more years of continuous service.
- Members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, CPA Australia (Certified Public Accountants) or the Institute of Public Accountants.
- Members of Commonwealth, State or Territory legislatures/Parliaments, or local, State or Territory government authorities.
- Notary public.
- Patent attorneys or trade mark attorneys.
- Senior Executive Service employees of the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth, State or Territory authority.
- Veterinary surgeons.