Notes for Queensland Probate

Poor Communication regarding Dad's cremation and Administrator aplication:

My father, Barry Peter Ryan, passed away on 30 September 2025. At the time of his death, his case had been referred to the Coroner and I was informed that the review process could take several months. I was told the Coroner’s Office would keep me updated regarding the progress of the matter.

However, last month, when I contacted the Coroner’s Office to ask about the status of the review, I was shocked to learn that my father had actually been released earlier than expected by the Coroner in October 2025, and that my sister had been informed at the time. My sister never told me that he had been released, cremated, or that she had possession of his ashes. Michelle knew I was deeply interested in Dad's ashes. 

My sister Michelle also never informed me that she was applying to become administrator of my father’s estate, despite knowing that I had serious concerns about substantial amounts of money missing from his assets and financial records.

During this same period, my sister remained in contact with me regarding winter clothing and shoes I had personally purchased for my father during the previous winter. Despite having cordial email exchanges with me about these belongings, she never once mentioned that my father had already been released from the Coroner or cremated, nor that she had possession of his ashes. (See below emails )

EPOA was never revoked

While my father was in hospital in 2025, a serious disagreement arose between myself and my maternal aunt, Barb, who had been appointed alongside me as Enduring Power of Attorney due to her longstanding relationship with me and our family. At the time, my father was experiencing severe swallowing difficulties, and I advocated for active medical treatment, including nasogastric feeding and nutritional support.

My aunt, however, supported placing my father on “comfort care,” meaning that he would receive pain relief and palliative measures only until his death.

I strongly opposed "Comfort Care" measures. Following this disagreement, my aunt sought to withdraw herself from the EPOA arrangement. My own EPOA was never revoked. However, QCAT temporarily paused both my aunt’s and my decision-making authority while they gathered information to determine whether my father should remain on comfort care or receive active treatment. A hearing was intended to take place regarding this issue, but my father passed away before the matter could be reviewed. In short my EPOA was NEVER revoked. 

The correspondence below relates to Barb Meynell’s decision to withdraw from her role as Enduring Power of Attorney due to a serious disagreement regarding my father’s medical treatment.

Dad's Assets:

Prior to my father’s death, I had also been attempting to access his bank accounts in my capacity as his Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA). However, my aunt wrongly informed the Bank of Queensland that my EPOA documentation was fraudulent, which resulted in my access being blocked. This prevented me from properly reviewing my father’s financial records and protecting his interests.

In 2016, my father had assets worth approximately one million dollars. Around this time, my aunt (Barb Meynell) and sister (Michelle Sprecher) became involved in his financial affairs. The records I have since obtained from my father’s banks appear to show losses of approximately $400,000–$500,000. 

I believe these circumstances create a significant conflict of interest regarding my sister’s suitability to act as administrator of my father’s estate. After 2016, my sister was pressuring my father for money, and my father complained to me about this on multiple occasions. He viewed his savings as necessary for his own future care due to his Parkinson’s disease and did not want to give away his assets prematurely.

My father had a longstanding history of extreme frugality because he was deeply concerned about preserving enough money to fund his own medical and aged care needs. My father also told me that he had not authorized anyone to receive gifts of any amount of money before and especially after 2016.

I believe it is important that I be appointed administrator so these matters can be properly examined and my father’s affairs independently reviewed. 

(See emails below, which discuss my sister’s and our maternal aunt Barb’s involvement in my father’s finances during the period in which substantial funds may have been removed from his bank accounts.)

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