sarah abood

As part of the strategic partnership, Indian CFP aspirants will have a pathway to gain qualifications that meet the Australian regulatory framework. It’s a bold plan, but one that could help shore up adviser numbers according to the FAAA.

The merged association has added a new core driver to its strategic objectives for the next six years, with growing the profession now a top priority. But the inherent challenges, and past failures, are forcing the FAAA to try new ways of getting more advisers on the books. 

While the minister has remained relatively mute on the obvious issues with the CSLR, he will at least allow the association to discuss the scheme’s flaws with Treasury at some point.

There are several bones of contention that the FAAA, and the industry more broadly, has with the compensation scheme’s settings, despite supporting it in principle. At the heart of it is the government’s repeated willingness to foist retrospective punishment on the good for the sins of the bad.

“I was really worried people would say ‘Is that all?'” the minister said, before explaining that he didn’t want to submit key compliance reforms until they were well-designed and collectively agreed upon.

Of the 8,946 practitioner advisers who belonged to either industry group before their April merger, 8,093 have renewed their membership with the merged entity. The FAAA was “very pleased” with the 90 per cent renewal rate, its CEO said, urging stragglers to renew before a grace period ends next month.

The minister was peppered with questions about phases 1 and 2 of the the government’s advice review response, as well as specialist accreditation and data access during a series of events in the sunshine state.

The controversial, long-delayed scheme doesn’t protect consumers from high profile managed investment scheme failures like Sterling and Timbercorp, FAAA CEO Sarah Abood said, and could end up adding another layer of unfair fees at the feet of advisers.

“There’s so much pain, so much division on this one,” FAAA CEO Sarah Abood said of the proposed exemption. “It actually really upsets me, as I know it upsets many members.”

Consumers will be bamboozled by the government’s plan to divide advisers into “experienced” and “relevant” camps, the association explained. That, and the need for a sunset clause, mean the current proposal needs work.