34Application for appointment as manager of property

34 Application for appointment as manager of property (1) The public trustee and guardian may apply to the court for an order appointing the public trustee and guardian manager of property where— (a) the owner of the property is unknown; or (b) the whereabouts of the owner of the property are unknown; or (c) it is not known whether the owner of the property is alive or dead; or (d) the owner of the property is dead or permanently or indefinitely absent from the ACT and— (i) it is not known whether the person has a personal representative or agent in the ACT with authority to take possession of and administer the property; or (ii) the whereabouts of the person’s personal representative or agent are unknown; or (iii) it is not known whether the person’s personal representative or agent is alive or dead; or (e) the owner of the property is a corporation and an officer or agent of the corporation cannot be found; or (f) the property appears to have been abandoned.

(2) On an application being made to it under this section, the court may, by order, appoint the public trustee and guardian manager of the property in respect of which the application is made if the court is satisfied that the appointment is necessary or desirable— (a) in the interests of the owner of the property or of any other person; or (b) in order to properly protect or preserve the property. (3) In making an order under this section appointing the public trustee and guardian manager of property, the court may specify the powers that may be exercised by the public trustee and guardian in connection with the property.