SY v Public Guardian

The appeal concerned an application for leave to appeal from a decision of a primary judge who had dismissed an appeal from the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The primary dispute involved the appointment of the Public Guardian to VY, with the review of this appointment scheduled for October 2025.

The central legal issue before the Court of Appeal was whether leave to appeal should be granted. This required the court to consider whether the appeal raised an issue of principle, a question of public importance, or demonstrated a serious injustice.

The Court of Appeal reasoned that no such grounds for granting leave had been established. The matter did not present an issue of principle or public importance, nor was there evidence of a serious injustice arising from the primary judge's decision. Consequently, the court concluded that the grant of leave to appeal was not warranted.

The Court of Appeal ordered that "Public Guardian" be substituted as the first respondent in place of "NSW Trustee and Guardian", refused leave to appeal, and made no order as to costs.